Amhirst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Amhirst surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in the locality of Amherst, in the parish of Pembury in Kent.

Early Origins of the Amhirst family

The surname Amhirst was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Amherst, in the parish of Pembury. They held a family seat, some say, about the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey initiated by Duke William of Normandy in 1086, although this book does not show the record in the county of Kent. The pedigree is only traceable to the year 1400 but the Harleian manuscripts show the name to be seated at Amherst in the early 1200's and from this source Earl Amherst was shown to represent this ancient family seated at Amhurst (ancient spelling).

Early History of the Amhirst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Amhirst research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1697, 1742, 1758 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Amhirst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Amhirst 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 Amhirst include Amherst, Amhirst, Amhearst and others.

Early Notables of the Amhirst family

More information is included under the topic Early Amhirst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Amhirst migration to the United States +

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:

Amhirst Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Walter Amhirst, who arrived in New York in 1830 1

The Amhirst 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: Victoriam concordia crescit
Motto Translation: Concord insures victory.

Citations +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)