Show ContentsAynsworthay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Of all the Anglo-Saxon names to come from Britain, Aynsworthay is one of the most ancient. The name is a result of the original family having lived in the area of Ainsworth in the parish of Middleton. Some instances, generally the Hainsworth spelling, come from Hainworth in West Yorkshire, derived in turn from an Old English personal name Hagena; while other instances of the name came from Ainsworth in the parish of Middleton, in Lancashire, from the Old English personal name Ægen.

Early Origins of the Aynsworthay family

The surname Aynsworthay was first found in Greater Manchester at Ainsworth, a small village and now a suburb within Radcliffe, in the Metropolitan Borough of Bury. Historically part of Lancashire, the place name is derived from Haineswrthe which dates back to c. 1200. 1

"The family of Aynesworth, located here, was of considerable antiquity, and is mentioned in the reigns of Edward III and Richard II, at which latter time John de Aynesworth was of Pleasington, in Blackburn parish." 2 The village is also called Cockey-Moor.

Early History of the Aynsworthay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aynsworthay research. Another 54 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1523, 1554, 1560, 1571, 1622, 1660, 1743 and 1881 are included under the topic Early Aynsworthay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aynsworthay Spelling Variations

The 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. Aynsworthay has been spelled many different ways, including Ainsworth, Ainsworthy, Aynsworth, Answorth and others.

Early Notables of the Aynsworthay family

Notables of the family at this time include John Ainsworth (fl. 1523), English politician from Pershore and Worcester, Member of Parliament for Worcester in 1554. Henry Ainsworth (1571-1622), was an English Nonconformist clergyman and scholar, educated at Caius College, Cambridge. He was the "leader of the separatist congregation at Amsterdam, and controversialist, was, according to the Lancashire historians, one of an...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aynsworthay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Aynsworthay family

Thousands 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 Aynsworthays to arrive in North America: Michael Ainsworth who landed in America in 1752; Jonathon Ainsworth who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1834; and two Johns, who landed at the same port in 1846 and 1860.



The Aynsworthay 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: Spero meliora
Motto Translation: I hope for better things.


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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