Show ContentsAction History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Action is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in the settlement of Axton, in the county of Kent.

Early Origins of the Action family

The surname Action was first found in Cheshire, Shropshire, and Worcestershire. Sometime before the Norman Conquest in 1066 they held a family seat at Ombersley in their mansion Castle known as Acton Hall, in Worcestershire. "Engelard de Acton, of Acton-Pigot and Acton-Burnell, was admitted on the Roll of Guild Merchants of Shrewsbury in 1209. His descendant Edward de Acton, of Aldenham, married the coheiress of L'Strange, living in 1387, and with her acquired an estate in Longnor, in the county. [Shropshire]" [1]

Aughton in Lancashire was an ancient family seat. " 'Achetun' was held before the Conquest by Uctred, the Saxon proprietor of Dalton and Skelmersdale; the manor, or parts of it, subsequently came to the families of Acton or Aughton." [2]

The parish of Acton-Round in Shropshire was another ancient family seat. "The church is a neat edifice, the walls of which are ornamented with monuments to the memory of the Actons, by one of whom, Sir Richard, the chancel was built in 1761." [2]

Another early listing of the name was John Acton (died 1350), an English canon lawyer known for his commentary on the ecclesiastical Constitutions of two papal legates: Cardinal Otto; and Ottobone.

Early History of the Action family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Action research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1305, 1597, 1600, 1621, 1650, 1659, 1660, 1662, 1665, 1677, 1684, 1685, 1689, 1705, 1716, 1721, 1727, 1728 and 1731 are included under the topic Early Action History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Action Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Action family name include Acton, Ackton, Akton and others.

Early Notables of the Action family

Notables of the family at this time include Sir John de Acton, High Sheriff of Herefordshire in 1305; John Acton, MP for Droitwich in 1597; Sir Edward Acton, 1st Baronet (1600-1659), English politician, High Sheriff of Shropshire, a Royalist in the English Civil War; Sir Walter Acton, 2nd Baronet (c 1621-1665), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Action Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Action family to Ireland

Some of the Action family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Action family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Action surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Benjamin Acton who settled in Pennsylvania in 1683; James Acton settled in New England in 1718; John Acton settled in Virginia in 1642.


Contemporary Notables of the name Action (post 1700) +

  • Mrs. Frances Action B.E.M., British recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to the community in Barrow Upon Soar, Leicestershire [3]


The Action 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: Vaillance avance l'homme
Motto Translation: Valour advances the man.


  1. Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 31 October 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1


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