Assecroft History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Assecroft is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from the family once having lived in Norfolk. Ashcroft means the dweller in the croft where the ash trees grow. 1

Early Origins of the Assecroft family

The surname Assecroft 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 Assecroft family

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

Assecroft Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Assecroft family name include Ashecroft, Ashecroft, Ashcroft, Ashcrofte, Ascroft, Ascrofte, Ashcraft and many more.

Early Notables of the Assecroft family

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

Migration of the Assecroft family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, Canada, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Assecroft surname or a spelling variation of the name include: Jo Ascrofte who settled in Virginia in 1635; Hugh Ashcroft landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1832; Henry Ascroft settled in Virginia in 1699.

The Assecroft 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)