Aswork History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

The Aswork name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the chapelry named Ashworth anciently spelt Asseheworth in Lancashire. Despite the small size of this town (only 233 in the 1861 census) many of the surname have flourished since that time. ^[1]

The first part of the name, Ash, was originally given to a person who resided in an area where ash trees flourished. Now there are numerous parishes and townships called Ashworth in many counties and there are also various minor localities of this same name from which smaller lines of the name may have emerged.

Early Origins of the Aswork family

The surname Aswork was first found in Lancashire at Ashworth, a parochial chapelry, in the parish of Middleton, union of Bury, hundred of Salford. "A family named Ashworth was seated here as early as the 13th century, and appears to have been succeeded by the Holts." ^[2]

An early variant of the family was Ashwardby. Of this name, we could find only one reference, that of John Ashwardby ( fl. 1392), "a follower of Wycliffe, is described by Tanner, no doubt by an inference from his surname, as a Lincolnshire man. " ^[3]

Important Dates for the Aswork family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Aswork research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Aswork History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Aswork Spelling Variations

Only 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 Aswork has undergone many spelling variations, including Ashworth, Asworth, Ashworthe and others.

Early Notables of the Aswork family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Aswork family

To 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 Aswork were among those contributors: William Ashworth who settled in Virginia in 1653; Nicholas, Sydney and William Ashworth arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1832 and 1841; along with many more of the name..

Citations

1. ^ Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
2. ^ Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
3. ^ Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print