Ashwithey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The ancestry of the name Ashwithey dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the chapelry named Ashworth anciently spelt Asseheworth in Lancashire. Despite the small size of this town (only 233 in the 1861 census) many of the surname have flourished since that time. ^[1]

The first part of the name, Ash, was originally given to a person who resided in an area where ash trees flourished. Now there are numerous parishes and townships called Ashworth in many counties and there are also various minor localities of this same name from which smaller lines of the name may have emerged.

Early Origins of the Ashwithey family

The surname Ashwithey was first found in Lancashire at Ashworth, a parochial chapelry, in the parish of Middleton, union of Bury, hundred of Salford. "A family named Ashworth was seated here as early as the 13th century, and appears to have been succeeded by the Holts." ^[2]

An early variant of the family was Ashwardby. Of this name, we could find only one reference, that of John Ashwardby ( fl. 1392), "a follower of Wycliffe, is described by Tanner, no doubt by an inference from his surname, as a Lincolnshire man. " ^[3]

Important Dates for the Ashwithey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ashwithey research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ashwithey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ashwithey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ashwithey have been found, including Ashworth, Asworth, Ashworthe and others.

Early Notables of the Ashwithey family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Ashwithey family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Ashwithey, or a variant listed above: William Ashworth who settled in Virginia in 1653; Nicholas, Sydney and William Ashworth arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1832 and 1841; along with many more of the name..

Citations

1. ^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
2. ^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
3. ^ Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print