Astwick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Astwick family

The surname Astwick was first found in East Hertfordshire at Eastwick, a hamlet which now forms the civil parish of Eastwick and Gilston. 1 2 The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was listed as Esteuuiche 3 and literally meant "east dwelling or dairy farm," having derived from the Old English words "east' + "wic." 4 The Parish Church of St Mary dates from the 13th century.

Here we also find the first records of the family, that of Wluuinus de Esteuuiche in the Domesday Book of 1086. 3 While many claim to trace their family name back to the Domesday, few can really do so and even fewer actually have an entry as a forename and surname as most are the singular surname only.

Hence, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Eastwick, held by Geoffrey de Bec a "great Baron" who was recorded in the Domesday Book. Geoffrey's brother was the standard bearer at the Battle of Hastings. Later in Sussex, the Subsidy Rolls listed William de Estwyke in 1296. 5

Early History of the Astwick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Astwick research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1657, 1692, 1696, 1701, 1712, 1739, 1814, 1836, 1845 and 1883 are included under the topic Early Astwick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Astwick Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Eastwick, Eastwich, Estwick, Estwich, Eastick, Eastich and many more.

Early Notables of the Astwick family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Edward Backhouse Eastwick (1814-1883), orientalist and diplomatist, was born in 1814 of a family long connected with the East India Company's service, of which his brother became a director. He was ed...

Migration of the Astwick family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Astwick or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)