Show ContentsApsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Apsley family

The surname Apsley was first found in Sussex where it is generally understood that the first record on the name was Simon de Apsele who was listed there in 1297. The Subsidy Rolls of Sussex list Stephen de Apsele in 1327. 1

Another source noted the family held a manor at Thakeham as early as 1347. 2 This latter entry is presumably referring to Apsley Farm at Thakeham. It should also be noted that Aspley is a township, in the parish of Eccleshall, union of Stone in Staffordshire and a hamlet in the parish of Wootton-Wawen, union of Stratford in Warwickshire and Aspley-Guise (Aspely End) is a parish in the union of Woburn, hundred of Manshead in Bedfordshire.

The Bedfordshire parish dates back to 1330 when it was first listed as simply Aspele in 1230 and literally meant "aspen-tree wood," from the Old English "aespe" + "leah." 3

Aspey, Herefordshire is a 19th century mill village. Apsley House, also known as Number One, London, is the London townhouse of the Dukes of Wellington.

Early History of the Apsley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Apsley research. Another 182 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1076, 1084, 1135, 1327, 1406, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1562, 1567, 1569, 1578, 1596, 1599, 1600, 1603, 1605, 1610, 1616, 1617, 1623, 1626, 1627, 1628, 1630, 1632, 1634, 1637, 1638, 1640, 1642, 1646, 1653, 1663, 1675, 1683, 1686, 1687, 1727 and 1758 are included under the topic Early Apsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Apsley Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Apsley include Apsley, Apsly, Apslie, Apsleigh, Apslye, Apslee, Apslea, Apselie, Apsely, Apsellie and many more.

Early Notables of the Apsley family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • Sir John Apsley of the City of London; his son, Sir Allen Apsley (1567-1630), English merchant, courtier and landowner, Lord of the Manor of Feltwell, one of the founders of the New England Company; a...
  • Joan Apsley (1578-1599), was the maiden name of Joan Boyle, wife of Richard Boyle, 1st Earl of Cork and Frances Apsley (1653-1727), later Lady Bathhurst, was a maid of honour to Mary and Anne of York
  • The title Baron Apsley has no relation to the family as the title is held by the Bathurst family

Migration of the Apsley family to Ireland

Some of the Apsley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 42 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Apsley migration to the United States +

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants:

Apsley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Edward Apsley, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 4
Apsley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Laura Apsley, aged 58, who arrived at Hudson, Massachusetts, in 1913
  • Lewis D. Apsley, aged 70, who arrived at Hudson, Massachusetts, in 1923
  • Abagail Apsley, aged 60, who arrived at Hudson, Massachusetts, in 1923
  • Abagail F. Apsley, aged 60, who arrived at Hudson, Massachusetts, in 1923
  • Abigail Apsley, aged 60, who arrived at Hudson, Massachusetts, in 1923
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Apsley (post 1700) +

  • Lewis Dewart Apsley (1852-1925), American politician, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts (1893-1897)
  • Norman Apsley OBE FREng, British Chief Executive Officer of the Northern Ireland Science Park in Belfast
  • Apsley Pellatt (1791-1863), English glassware manufacturer, politician and inventor of the glass lenses, known as ‘deck lights,’ used for giving light to the lower parts of ships for which he obtained a patent in 1807 (No. 3058)
  • Apsley George Benet Cherry -Garrard (1886-1959), English explorer of Antarctica, Member of the Terra Nova Expedition (1910-1913)
  • Apsley Pellatt (1736-1798), English glass manufacturer and father of Apsley Pellatt, (1763-1826)
  • Apsley Pellatt (1763-1826), English glass manufacturer in London
  • Apsley George Benet Cherry-Garrard, English explorer of Antarctica


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. 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)


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