Show ContentsAnstruther History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancient Anstruther family derived their name from Anstruther, a small town and fishing village in Fife which is today home to the Scottish Fisheries Museum.

Early Origins of the Anstruther family

The surname Anstruther was first found in Fife, where the Clan derives its name from the ancient barony of Anstruther. The lands of Anstruther were granted to William of Candela, who had previously been granted lands in Dorset in the south of England after the Norman Conquest in 1066 A.D. He was descended from Raoul de Malherbe, a Danish noble, a Viking, a close companion of Rollo, the first Duke of Normandy. Their descendants held lands in Devon, Dorset, and Kent after the Conquest.

Early History of the Anstruther family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Anstruther research. Another 206 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1288, 1320, 1680, 1694, 1700, 1711, 1715, 1741, 1760, 1923 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Anstruther History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Anstruther Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Anstruther, Anstrothir, Anstoyer, Enstrother, Andstroyer, Anstroder, Ansteruthyr, Ansthother, Ansthrother, Anstrude and many more.

Early Notables of the Anstruther family

Notable among the family at this time was

  • Sir Philip Anstruther of Airdrie


United States Anstruther migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Anstruther Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Anstruther who settled in Georgia in 1753

Canada Anstruther migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Anstruther Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Major William Anstruther, U.E., United Empire Loyalist, who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1783 he was Major of the Roy Gar Battalion Regiment in 1782 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Anstruther (post 1700) +

  • Sir Alexander Anstruther (1769-1819), Scottish-Indian judge, the second son of Sir Robert Anstruther, bart., of Balcaskie, Fifeshire 2
  • Sir John Anstruther (1753-1811), Scottish politician and Scottish-Indian judge, the second son of Sir John Anstruther, bart., of Elie House, Fifeshire 2
  • Robert Anstruther (1768-1809), Scottish general, the eldest son of Sir Robert Anstruther, Bart., M.P 2
  • Sir William Anstruther (d. 1711), Scottish judge, the son of Sir Philip Anstruther of Anstruther, a Royalist who was taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, had his estates sequestered by Cromwell and restored to him by Charles II 2
  • Abercrombie Anstruther Lawson FRSE FLS (1870-1927), Canadian-born, Australian botanist, foundation professor of botany at the University of Sydney


The Anstruther Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Periissem ni per-iissem
Motto Translation: I would have perished, if I had not persevered.


  1. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  2. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 17 Apr. 2019


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