This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Askham research.
Another 491 words (35 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1313, 1379, 1515, 1553, 1650, 1752 and 1553 are included under the topic Early Askham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Askham include Askham, Askheam, Ascham, Askum, Askam and others.

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Askham or a variant listed above: W.B. Askam, who sailed to San Francisco in 1850; and Charles, James and Luke Askam who journeyed to Philadelphia in 1854.