Assairst History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe Assairst name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having 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 Assairst familyThe surname Assairst 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 Assairst familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Assairst research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1614, 1645, 1647, 1662, 1679, 1680, 1681, 1695, 1711, 1715, 1720 and 1722 are included under the topic Early Assairst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Assairst Spelling VariationsOnly 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 Assairst has undergone many spelling variations, including Ashhurst, Ashurst, Ashirst, Ashairst, Ashenhurst and others. Early Notables of the Assairst familyNotables 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... Migration of the Assairst familyTo 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 Assairst were among those contributors: Richard Ashurst arrived in Philadelphia in 1813; and many more.
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.
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