Show ContentsEsty History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Esty family

The surname Esty was first found in Kent at Eastry, a civil parish and ancient Saxon village that dates back to at least the 9th century when it was listed as Eastorege. By the time of the Domesday Book of 1086, the place name had evolved to Estrei 1 and literally meant "eastern district or region," from the Old English words "easter" + "ge." 2

According to legend, the royal palace of the Saxon kings of Kent stood here. Another legend claim that King Ecgberht of Kent (died c. 673) had his cousins Aethelred and Aethelberht killed within the palace walls. And another story claims Thomas Becket hid in Eastry's caves during his escape in 1164. 3

Early History of the Esty family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Esty research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1106, 1432, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1566, 1600, 1601, 1634, 1640, 1692 and 1711 are included under the topic Early Esty History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Esty Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Esty include Eastday, Eastdye, Eastdai, Estday, Estdye and others.

Early Notables of the Esty family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Mary Towne Eastey (also spelled Esty, Easty, Estey, or Estye) (1634-1692), born Mary Towne in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk. She and her family emigrated to America around 1640 and was victim of the Salem w...
  • George Estye (1566-1601), was an English divine, educated at Caius College, Cambridge. 4


United States Esty migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Esty were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Esty Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Jeffrey Esty, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1637 5
Esty Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • P. W. Esty, who settled in San Francisco in 1850

Contemporary Notables of the name Esty (post 1700) +

  • Edward S. Esty, American politician, Member of New York State Senate 26th District, 1884-85 6
  • Edward S. Esty, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Tompkins County, 1858 6
  • Constantine Canaris Esty (1824-1912), American Republican politician, Member of Massachusetts State Legislature; U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 7th District, 1872-73 6
  • Berniece H. Esty, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Vermont, 1952 6
  • Esty Chaney (1891-1952), American baseball player


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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