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Ashforth Family Crest and Ashforth name origin

Ashforth Family Crest and Ashforth name origin

Posted: 30 Nov 2014 4:32PM GMT
Classification: Query
Surnames: Ashforth
I have been searching for the Ashforth crest online, and I am not sure whether the 'houseofnames' website shows an accurate depiction of the family crest or not (see attached picture).

Also, I have been looking for the origin of the Ashforth family surname, and I've heard rumours that the name if derived from that of an Earl or Norman Knight (possibly Reginald de Asford??, witness in the "Assize Court Rolls of Shropshire", during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272.??) who came over to England with William the Conquerer, although this is only what my dad could find out many years ago looking at books in a local library.

Does anyone else know anything about the Ashforth family crest or the name origin?
Thank you for any help.
Attachments:

Re: Ashforth Family Crest and Ashforth name origin

Posted: 1 Dec 2014 5:33PM GMT
Classification: Query
You are probably right to be skeptical of the image from the House of Names website, which appears to be an incorrect rendering of the arms of "Ashford, or Ayshford (Ayshford, co. Devon, and Cornwall; the last male heir, John Ayshford, Esq. d. in 1688; the heiress m. Sanford, ancestor of William Ayshford Sanford, Esq., of Nynehead, co. Somerset: a branch of the family settled at Wonwell, in Kingston, co. Devon, and is now represented by L.L. Ayshford Wise, Esq.)." (cited in Burke's "General Armory.")

The arms in Burke are blazoned "Argent between two chevrons sable three ashen keys azure." The image from HoN has the chevrons between the keys, and not the keys between the chevrons as given in Burke.

Bardsley's "Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames" cites "Ashford, Ashforth, Ayshford - Local, 'of Ashford,' parishes in diocs. of Canterbury, Exeter, Longon, Southwell, and Hereford; v. Ford and Forth for the two suffixes.
John de Esseford, co. Oxf., 1273. A. Eudo de Assheford, co. Linc., 20 Edw. I
1563. buried - William Ashforde, prentis to Roger Beawe: St. Mary Aldermary, p. 135.
1594. Thomas Aysheford, co. Devon: Reg. Univ. Oxf. vol. ii, pt. ii, p. 208.
1773. Married - Joseph Ashford and Charlotte Probert: St. Geo. Han. Sq. I, 228."

So the names Ashforth and Ashford are clearly related, but that still doesn't mean that any Ashforth families would have the right to use the arms of the (now-extinct) Ashford line.

Burke's "General Armory" cites four other Ashford coats of arms, two variants on the white shield three items (bunches of keys, pineapples, escallops) between two black chevrons; one with a chevron between two other narrow ones, the large central one charged with three pineapples, and the other one a green chevron between three green keys. Burke lists no Ashforth arms.

I hope that this information is helpful to you.

David

Re: Ashforth name origin

Posted: 1 Dec 2014 5:43PM GMT
Classification: Query
This board is for Coat of Arms and Heraldry only.

To find origin of surnames, please post a separate message here:

http://boards.rootsweb.com/topics.name-20-origins/mb.ashx

Also -- there is no such thing as a "Family Crest". A search of this board will elicit many responses regarding this topic.

Kind Regards,

Lauren
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