Asirst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancient roots of the Asirst family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Asirst comes from when the family lived in Ashurst in the county of Lancashire. The name derives from the Old English words, ash, meaning ash tree, and hyrst, meaning hill, and indicates that the town was named for a hill on which ash trees grew. [1]

Early Origins of the Asirst family

The surname Asirst was first found in the counties of Lancashire, Cheshire, and the north west of England. The Lancashire family seems to be the oldest as noted "A Lancashire family of good antiquity, and until the middle of the last century [1700] lords of Ashurst in that county, where they appear to have been seated not long after the Conquest." [2]

In the north transept of the church of Leigh, Staffordshire are monuments to the Ashenhurst family. [3]

"The family of Ashhurst had lands [in Skelmersdale, Lancashire] in 1346 and frequently occur later." [4]

Early History of the Asirst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Asirst research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1680, 1647, 1720, 1679, 1662, 1645, 1711, 1681, 1695, 1715 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Asirst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Asirst Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Asirst has appeared include Ashhurst, Ashurst, Ashirst, Ashairst, Ashenhurst and others.

Early Notables of the Asirst family (pre 1700)

Notables of the family at this time include Henry Ashurst (c. 1614-1680), a wealthy and benevolent merchant of London, "noted for his gifts of money to pious or charitable purposes, the founder of the family of Ashurst or Ashhurst of Waterstock, Oxfordshire, was descended from an old Lancashire family, seated at Ashurst, in the township of Dalton and parish of Wigan. " [5] His son, Sir William...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Asirst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Asirst family

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Asirst arrived in North America very early: Richard Ashurst arrived in Philadelphia in 1813; and many more.

The Asirst 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: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print