The surname Ainay was first found in Lincolnshire where "Walter de Aincourt, who came from Aincourt, a lordship between Mantes and Magny [Normandy], where the remains of the ancient family castle still exists. Walter was cousin of Remigius, Bishop of Lincoln, the munificent builder of Lincoln Cathedral, and obtained, as his share of the spoil, no less that sixty-seven lordships in several counties, chiefly in Lincolnshire." [1]
"Walter d'Aincourt holds nearly sixty manors in Domesday [Book], chiefly in Lincolnshire, where Blankney was the head of his barony, and 'the Deyncourts flourished in a continual succession, from the coming-in of the Normans to the time of Henry VI.' All we known of Walter's lineage is derived from a leaden tablet inscribed to the memory of his son, William, which was found in 1670 in Lincoln Cathedral." [2]
In Derbyshire at Morton, another branch of the family was found. "The manor, previously given to Burton Abbey, belonged at the Domesday Survey to Walter Deincourt, and Roger Deincourt, in 1330, claimed a park here, and the right of having a gallows for the execution of criminals. The estate passed, with other lands, to the Leakes." [3]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ainay research. Another 172 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1450, 1510, 1600 and 1190 are included under the topic Early Ainay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations of this family name include: D'Eyncourt, Daincourt, Danecourt, Deyncourt, Aincourt, Eyncourt, Anecourt, Encourt, Eincourt, Deycourt, Daycourt, Daincourt, Aisincourt, Agincourt, Asincourt, Aysincourt, Aizincourt, Azincourt, Ayncott, Ayncote, Ayncotts, Ayncourt, Ainycourt, Ayncourt, Ayncort, Lainey, Lainay, Ainay, Lainiez and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Ainay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Peter Lainey, who settled in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1795; H. H. Doncourt, who settled in New York, NY in 1824; Elizabeth Doncourt, who arrived in New York, NY in 1824.