Asholey History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Asholey is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived 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 Asholey familyThe surname Asholey 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 Asholey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Asholey 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 Asholey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Asholey Spelling VariationsThe first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Asholey has been spelled many different ways, including Ashley, Ashly, Astley and others. Early Notables of the Asholey familyNotables 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... Migration of the Asholey familyThousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Asholeys to arrive in North America: 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.
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