Surname Anstruther - Meaning and Origin
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Anstruther: What does the surname Anstruther mean?
The last name Anstruther is an Anglicized version of the Scottish name Anster, which originated from the village of Anstruther in Fife, Scotland. Anstruther is derived from the Old English words an meaning "on or at", and stede meaning "place or stead". The family name is said to be descended from one of the old Pictish tribes of Scotland who lived in the area of the Forth and Tay.
The Anstruther name is found in several branches throughout Scotland, but the most prominent family can be traced to the Anstruther of Balcaskie on the coast of Fife. This family had been granted the barony of Balcaskie by King Robert the Bruce in the fourteenth century, and their descendants held the title of Lord Anstruther until 1835.
The Anstruther family remains active in public life in Scotland today. Over the centuries, many members of the Anstruther family have achieved success and prominence in multiple fields, ranging from business to law to politics.
The name Anstruther has also been adopted in various other countries, most notably the United States and Canada. American Anstruthers often trace their roots back to Scottish immigrants who came to the United States in the 1700s or early 1800s.
The Anstruther name has stood for strength, ambition, and perseverance for centuries, traits that have been passed down through generations of Anstruthers and remain part of the family legacy today.
Order DNA origin analysisAnstruther: Where does the name Anstruther come from?
The last name Anstruther is primarily associated with Scotland, particularly with the Fife area located just northeast of Edinburgh. The Anstruther family originated from the lands of Anstruther in Fife and can trace their history in the area back to the 12th century.
The Anstruther name has been particularly well represented in the region over the centuries. The name is still common today in Fife and surrounding areas, with over 1700 individuals bearing it recorded in the 2011 UK Census. The Anstruther surname is also fairly common in other parts of Scotland as well as in some parts of England, Ireland and Wales.
The Anstruther name also appears outside of the United Kingdom. It can be found in countries with close historic ties to the British Isles, such as Canada, New Zealand and Australia, as well as in nations with Scottish diaspora, such as the United States. It is also included in name databases from other parts of the world, such as in France, Spain, Germany and the Netherlands.
Given the Anstruther family's long history and the wide dispersal of its name, it is likely that the name will continue to be associated with Scotland and other countries throughout the world in the future.
Variations of the surname Anstruther
The Anstruther surname has a variety of variants, spellings and names of the same origin. Anstruther is derived from the place-name Anstruther, in Fife, Scotland, which in turn is derived from the Old English personal name Æneferð, meaning 'the one journey'. This surname is recorded in various forms and spellings, including, Anster, Anstey, Anstruther, Ansteyer, and Anstruther-Gough.
The masculine form of the surname is Anstruther, and the feminine form is Anstruthers. There are several Scottish clans which bear the name, including that of the Anstruther baronets of Balcaskie, Fife and the Anstruthers of Anstruther in Fife. Some of the spellings are toponymic, while others refer to a person's vocation, such as Anstruther the shoemaker, Anstruthers the clerk or Anster the ploughman.
Other regional variants of the name such as Anstart, Anstry, Ansted, Anstie, Anstated, Anstar, Anstur, Anstay, Anstates, Ansteed, Anstead, Ansteay, Anatmeal, Ansteel, Ansteen, Ansell, and Anstell have emerged from Scotland, England and Ireland. There are records of septs of the surname Anstruther in Ireland, Under the name of Anstay and Anstee.
Variants of the name in Scotland that were influenced by the Gaelic language include Mac Anster, which derives from the Gaelic Mac an t-Sruthair. In Scotland, due to the prevalence of different clan branches of the Anstruthers, members of the family often took the surname of their respective branches as further surnames. Examples of the main branches of the family are Anstruther of Anstruther, Anstruther of Balcaskie, Anstruther of Culdares, Anstruther of Dreel, Anstruther of Kilrenny and Anstruther of Wiston.
The Anstruther surname is also found outside of Scotland in countries such as Australia, Canada, South Africa, and the United States of America. Therefore, it is possible to find variations of the Anstruther surname, such as Anstruther-Douglas, Anstruther-Gray, and Anstruther-Thompson.
Famous people with the name Anstruther
- Sir Richard Anstruther (1920–2003), British Army officer, composer and author.
- Allan Anstruther (born 1974), British voice actor.
- Lady Edith Anstruther (1862–1946), British classical vocalist.
- Sir Gilbert Oswald Anstruther (1890–1971), British Army officer.
- Sir James Anstruther (1780–1860), British diplomat and politician.
- Lord Thomas Anstruther (1820–1905), British politician.
- Isobel Anstruther (born 1976), Scottish actress.
- Louise Anstruther (born 1959), British aquatic biologist and environmental scientist.
- Charles Anstruther, 1st Baron Anstruther of Anstruther (1775–1850), British politician.
- Harriet Anstruther (born 1978), British furniture, product and interior designer.