Ayshurst History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Ayshurst is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family 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 Ayshurst family

The surname Ayshurst 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 Ayshurst family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ayshurst 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 Ayshurst History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ayshurst Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Ayshurst are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Ayshurst include: Ashhurst, Ashurst, Ashirst, Ashairst, Ashenhurst and others.

Early Notables of the Ayshurst family

Notables 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...
Another 66 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ayshurst Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ayshurst family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Ayshurst or a variant listed above: Richard Ashurst arrived in Philadelphia in 1813; and many more.

The Ayshurst 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: Vincit qui patitur
Motto Translation: He conquers who endures.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
'Townships: Scarisbrick', in A History of the County of Lancaster: Volume 3, ed. William Farrer and J Brownbill (London, 1907), pp. 265-276. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/lancs/vol3/pp265-276 [accessed 21 January 2017].
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print