The ancestors of the name Akerude date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Akerude family lived in a clearing surrounded by oak trees. This Yorkshire surname is derived from the Old English words ac, which means oak, and rod, which means clearing. [1]
The surname Akerude was first found in the West, East and North Ridings of the county of Yorkshire. The Eskrigge and Eskridge variants were found in the parish of Eskrigg in Lancashire.
One of the first records of the family was Richard de Akerode who was listed in the Yorkshire Testamenta Eboracensia (Surtees Society.) [2]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Akerude research. Another 133 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1569, 1624 and 1934 are included under the topic Early Akerude History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Akerude are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Akerude include: Ackroyd, Akroyd, Ackeroyd, Achroyd, Aykroyd, Akrood, Eckroyd, Ecroyd, Akrode, Eckridge and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Akerude Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Akerude or a variant listed above: John Ackroyd who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842; Reuden Ackroyd who also settled in Philadelphia in 1873; William Ackroyd who settled in Philadelphia in 1851.