Aeshwel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Aeshwel comes from when the family resided in one of the various settlements named Ashwell in the counties of Essex, Hertfordshire, and Salop.

Early Origins of the Aeshwel family

The surname Aeshwel was first found in Hertfordshire, where "the Ashwells, who derived their name originally from the parish thus called, have been for many centuries represented in this county. William Ashwell owned land in Stapleford in the reign of Richard II.; and a monk of St. Albans in the time of Henry VI. bore also the name of William Ashwell. " 1

"This place derives its name from a well or spring issuing from a rock at the southern extremity of the village, surrounded with ash trees, and forming the source of the small river Rhee. At the time of the Norman survey it was a borough and market-town, having four annual fairs; it was also a royal demesne, and a small manor within the parish was held by Walter Somoner, in petit serjeantry, by the service of providing spits and roasting meat in the king's kitchen, on the day of his coronation. " 2 Ashwell is also a parish in the union of Oakham, hundred of Alstoe, county of Rutland and in Somerset. 3 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two early listings for the family: Richard de Aswelle, Suffolk and William de Assewelle, Rutland. 5

Ernulf de Assewell was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1230, Roger de Asshewell was listed in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1331, and Richard Asshewll was listed in Gloucestershire in 1391. 6

Early History of the Aeshwel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aeshwel research. Another 106 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1391, 1392, 1478, 1527, 1541, 1612, 1627, 1646, 1647, 1695 and 1798 are included under the topic Early Aeshwel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aeshwel Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Aeshwel include Ashwell, Aswell, Ashewell, Aishwell, Ayshwell, Aswell, Ashwall, Askwell, Ashwill, Askwill, Ayskwell, Eshwell, Eswell, Eskwell, Eskwill, Aeshwell, Eskwalle, Eshwall and many more.

Early Notables of the Aeshwel family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Ashwell (died 1392), an English politician, Member of the Parliament of England for Gloucester in 1391; and Thomas Ashwell or Ashewell (c. 1478-1527), an English composer of the Renaissance. He was a skilled composer of polyphony, and may have been the...
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aeshwel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Aeshwel family to Ireland

Some of the Aeshwel 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 Aeshwel family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Ann Ashwell who settled in Virginia in 1650; Henry settled in Virginia 1639; Mary settled in Virginia in 1652; William settled in Virginia in 1653.

Citations +

Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)