Contents [hide]

Ashley History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Ashley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Ashley

What does the name Ashley mean?

The Ashley name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the parishes named Ashley in Staffordshire, Wilts, Cambridge. The name developed in many counties in England and it represent one of the few names that may have developed simultaneously in several different counties. The family name Ashley is a variant of the surname Ash, which is of topographical derivation and indicates that members of the family once lived in close proximity to an ash tree. 1

There may be a Norman connection as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae listed "Walter de Esseleia was of Normandy, 1198. He was also of Gloucestershire, 1198. 2

Early Origins of the Ashley family

The surname Ashley was first found in Cheshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. They were found in many counties in England, and represent one of the few names which may have developed simultaneously in several different counties. They moved southward and appeared in Somerset, Wiltshire, Devon, and Dorset.

By the late 13th century, the name was scattered throughout ancient Britain. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Robert de Aslegh, Devon; Henry de Assele, Norfolk; and Walter de Asseleghe, Somerset. 3

Early History of the Ashley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ashley research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1551, 1565, 1588, 1606, 1617, 1627, 1641, 1741 and 1929 are included under the topic Early Ashley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ashley 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 Ashley has undergone many spelling variations, including Ashley, Ashly, Astley and others.

Early Notables of the Ashley family

Notables of the family at this time include

Blessed Ralph Ashley (executed 7 April 1606), an English Jesuit lay-brother who became involved with the aftermath of the Gunpowder Plot; a Catholic martyr, beatified in 1929
Sir Anthony Ashley (1551-1627), was Clerk of the Privy Council, and "was descended from an ancient family which had settled, from the time of Henry VI, at Wimborne St. Giles, in Dorsetshire. Of Ashley...
Robert Ashley (1565-1641), was a miscellaneous writer of the reign of Elizabeth and James I. 4

Ashley Ranking

In the United States, the name Ashley is the 725^th most popular surname with an estimated 39,792 people with that name. 5 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Ashley is ranked the 873^rd most popular surname with an estimated 7,830 people with that name. 6

Ashley migration to the United States +

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 Ashley were among those contributors:

Ashley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Ann Ashley, who landed in Virginia in 1623 7
An Ashley, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1624 7
Edward Ashley, who landed in Maine in 1630 7
Sam Ashley, aged 24, who arrived in Virginia in 1634 7
Sam Ashley, aged 19, who arriving first in St. Domingo then to Virginia in 1634 or 1635 aboard the ship "Bonaventure" 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ashley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Eliza Ashley, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 7
Maurice Ashley, who arrived in Carolina in 1708 7
Ezekiel Ashley, who arrived in Connecticut in 1745 7
Sarah Ashley, who landed in New York in 1775 7
Lemuel Ashley, who landed in Massachusetts in 1784 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ashley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Daniel Ashley, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 7
B M Ashley, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
L G Ashley, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
P Ashley, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 7
J Ashley, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 7

Ashley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Samuel Ashley, who landed in Colorado in 1907 7

Ashley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Ashley Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mary Ashley, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Mr. William Ashley, U.E., United Empire Loyalist, (b. 1749) born in London, England, who settled in Township of Loborough, County of Frontenac c. 1783 married to Margaret Buck, William died on March 24, 1835 in Kingston, Ontario, leaving 10 children 8

Ashley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Ashley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Ashley, English convict who was convicted in Chester, Cheshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
John Ashley, English convict from York, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on October 16, 1826, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 10
Mr. Thomas Ashley, (b. 1804), aged 30, English convict who was convicted in Reading, Berkshire, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 27th September 1834, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
Mr. William Ashley, (b. 1809), aged 27, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for 14 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "Eden" on 27th August 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 12
Mr. Henry Ashley, English convict who was convicted in Worcester, Worcestershire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 27th July 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ashley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Ashley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Ashley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1863 14
Elizabeth Ashley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1863 14
Alfred Ashley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1863 14
Robert Ashley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1863 14
John Ashley, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Claramont" in 1863
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Ashley migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 15

Ashley Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Andrew Ashley, aged 24, who landed in Barbados in 1683 7
Rebecca Ashley, who settled in Barbados in 1685

Contemporary Notables of the name Ashley (post 1700) +

Thomas William Ludlow Ashley (1923-1955), American politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio (1955 to 1981)
Vernon Lewis Ashley (1916-2015), Native American leader
William Henry Ashley (1785-1839), American fur trader, entrepreneur and politician
Robert Ashley (1930-2014), American composer of operas and other theatrical works
Maurice Ashley (b. 1966), American chess grandmaster
Karan Ashley (b. 1975), Karen Ashley Jackson, American actress
John Ashley (1934-1997), American actor
Elizabeth Ashley (b. 1939), American Tony award winning actress
Barrett Ashley, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Tennessee, 1952 16
Arden Ashley, American politician, Mayor of Nitro, West Virginia, 1980-83 16
... (Another 55 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Ashley family +

HMS Cornwall

Ernest Frederick Ashley (d. 1942), British Engine Room Artificer 4th Class aboard the HMS Cornwall when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 17

HMS Hood

Mr. Robert G Ashley (b. 1919), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Burslem, Staffordshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 18

HMS Royal Oak

Roger Ashley, British Able Seaman with the Royal Navy aboard the HMS Royal Oak (1939) when she was torpedoed by U-47 and sunk; he survived the sinking 19

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-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)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Andromeda voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1826 with 147 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1826
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 20th October 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eden
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-grey
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Force Z Survivors Crew List HMS Cornwall (Retrieved 2018, February 13th) - Retrieved from https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listcornwallcrew.html#A
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Ships hit by U-boats crew list HMS Royal Oak (08) - (Retrieved 2018 February, 9th) - retrieved from https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/crews/ship68.html