Ashcraft History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Ashcraft name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in Norfolk. Ashcroft means the dweller in the croft where the ash trees grow. 1

Early Origins of the Ashcraft family

The surname Ashcraft was first found in Norfolk where one of the first records of the name was Margaret de Asecroft who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1275 in this county. 1 Richard Ashcroft was also listed in Norfolk in the Feet of Fines. 2

Early History of the Ashcraft family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ashcraft research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1592 and 1602 are included under the topic Early Ashcraft History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ashcraft Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Ashcraft has undergone many spelling variations, including Ashecroft, Ashecroft, Ashcroft, Ashcrofte, Ascroft, Ascrofte, Ashcraft and many more.

Early Notables of the Ashcraft family

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

Ashcraft Ranking

In the United States, the name Ashcraft is the 2,732^nd most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 3

Ashcraft migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Ashcraft were among those contributors:

Ashcraft Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Leona Ashcraft, aged 43, who landed in America, in 1905
Leona Ashcraft, aged 40, who settled in America, in 1907
Annie Ashcraft, aged 36, who immigrated to America, in 1909
Erinmigata Ashcraft, aged 21, who landed in America, in 1918
Theo. Ashcraft, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States, in 1922
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Ashcraft (post 1700) +

Karen Ashcraft, American communication scholar and a current professor
Mark H. Ashcraft, the chair of the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada Las Vegas
James H. Ashcraft (b. 1944), American Republican politician, Marketing rep for IBM; Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1972 4
J. N. Ashcraft (d. 1935), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kentucky, 1932 4
Hale Ashcraft, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from California, 1964 4
Edwin H. Ashcraft, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1916 4
Earl Franklin Ashcraft, American Republican politician, Member of Kentucky State House of Representatives 77th District, 1948-49 4
C. W. Ashcraft, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1924 4
Bettye Ashcraft, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1964 4
Alan E. Ashcraft Jr. (b. 1906), American Republican politician, Member of Illinois State House of Representatives 6th District, 1941-44; Superior Court Judge in Illinois, 1947-50 4
... (Another 8 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Ashcraft 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: Floruit fraxinus
Motto Translation: Flowering ash

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 5) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html