Ashleigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Ashleigh family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the parishes named Ashley in Staffordshire, Wilts, Cambridge. The name developed in many counties in England and it represent one of the few names that may have developed simultaneously in several different counties. The family name Ashley is a variant of the surname Ash, which is of topographical derivation and indicates that members of the family once lived in close proximity to an ash tree. 1

There may be a Norman connection as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed "Walter de Esseleia was of Normandy, 1198. He was also of Gloucestershire, 1198. 2

Early Origins of the Ashleigh family

The surname Ashleigh was first found in Cheshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. They were found in many counties in England, and represent one of the few names which may have developed simultaneously in several different counties. They moved southward and appeared in Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon, and Dorset.

By the late 13th century, the name was scattered throughout ancient Britain. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Robert de Aslegh, Devon; Henry de Assele, Norfolk; and Walter de Asseleghe, Somerset. 3

Early History of the Ashleigh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ashleigh research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1551, 1565, 1588, 1606, 1617, 1627, 1641, 1741 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Ashleigh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ashleigh Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Ashleigh include Ashley, Ashly, Astley and others.

Early Notables of the Ashleigh family

Notables of the family at this time include Blessed Ralph Ashley (executed 7 April 1606), an English Jesuit lay-brother who became involved with the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot; a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929. Sir Anthony Ashley (1551-1627), was Clerk of the Privy Council, and "was descended from an ancient family which had settled, from the time of Henry VI, at Wimborne St. Giles, in Dorsetshire. Of Ashley's early...
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ashleigh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ashleigh family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Ashleigh or a variant listed above: Ann Ashley in 1624 who settled in Virginia; Edward settled in Maine in 1630; another Edward settled in Salem, Massachusetts; Mary settled in Virginia in 1634.

Contemporary Notables of the name Ashleigh (post 1700) +

Ashleigh Lollie, American beauty pageant competitor for Miss Florida USA in 2015
Ashleigh Brazill (b. 1989), Australian netball and AFL Women's player, gold and bronze medal winners
Ashleigh Olden, American actress, known for The West Wing (1999), Engaging Peter (2002) and Undressed
Ashleigh Mumberson, Australian bronze medalist hammer throw competitor at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games
Ashleigh Domangue, American actress, known for Hawaii Five-0 (2010), Longmire (2012) and Murder Made Me Famous (2015)
Ashleigh Gunning (b. 1985), American retired soccer forward
Ashleigh Leitch, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Minnesota, 2008
Ashleigh Pittaway, British gold medalist skeleton athlete at the 2016 Winter Youth Olympics
Ashleigh McIvor (b. 1983), Canadian two-time gold medalist freestyle skier
Ashleigh Connor (b. 1989), Australian footballer

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)