Show ContentsAinswith History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The origins of the Ainswith name come from when the Anglo-Saxon tribes ruled over Britain. The name Ainswith was originally derived from a 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 Ainswith family

The surname Ainswith 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 Ainswith family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ainswith 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 Ainswith History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ainswith 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 Ainswith include Ainsworth, Ainsworthy, Aynsworth, Answorth and others.

Early Notables of the Ainswith 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 Ainswith Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ainswith 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: 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 Ainswith 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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