Surname Ansty - Meaning and Origin
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Ansty: What does the surname Ansty mean?
The last name Ansty is an English locational surname derived from the town of Anstey in Leicestershire. Historically, many surnames came about when a person moved to another area, usually to seek work, and was identified by the name of their birthplace.
The place name Anstey originates from the Old English words “an” and “stiga”, which together mean “one path” or “one road”. The prefix ‘An’ signifies a location favours ‘lives at’ or ‘lives by’, an idea which is still seen in many British place names. Thus the name Ansty signifies that the person or family who took it up originally lived near a path or road.
The surname Ansty has been recorded in various documents since the 16th century. Early examples of its usage include the marriage of Charles Ansty and Mary Hallam in 1580, and the birth of John Ansty in 1596. It is most commonly found in the Midlands, though it can still be found in parts of the United Kingdom and North America, where descendants of Charles and Mary Hallam Ansty have settled.
Ansty is a surname with English roots, indicating that those who hold this name have a long lineage in the U.K. It is a mark of identity and of belonging, and stands as a tribute to the journeys and adventures of the people who bear it.
Order DNA origin analysisAnsty: Where does the name Ansty come from?
The last name Ansty is most commonly found in the United Kingdom, particularly in England. In the 1881 census, there were 477 instances of the last name Ansty listed in England alone. This suggests the last name has been around for some time and has been handed down through the generations.
The last name can also be found in areas of the United States, Canada, and Australia, though to a lesser degree than in Britain. This could be due to families emigrating overseas and introducing the name to their new home, or it could be the result of military personnel who served abroad during the 19th or early 20th centuries, or of maritime activity.
The Ansty spelling has remained consistent since records of the name began, although different branches of the same family may have adopted different spellings over the years. It is also possible that some branches of the Ansty family have changed their surname altogether.
As the last name Ansty is fairly uncommon, it is likely that the family line remains localised to this day. Those who are interested in tracing their ancestry may wish to look into records based in West Yorkshire, Cornwall, and Northampton, as these are three of the counties where the Ansty spelling of the name appears most often.
Variations of the surname Ansty
The surname Ansty has a number of variants, spellings, and surnames that have the same origin. Common variations of Ansty include Anstee, Anstice, Anstay, Anstey, Anstie, Ansteyer, Ansley, Ansell, Anslee, Onstead, Onstie, Onsteed, and Onsteade.
Ansty is an English surname which is believed to have descended from the Norman given name Ansgot, which translates roughly to mean “Eager god” or “Brave Warrior”. The first use of the given name is thought to have been that of Ansgot de Montfort, who by 1210 was established as Lord of Montfort Castle, in Radnor, Wales. His descendant, Sir Richard de Anstey, was a Lord in Herefordshire in the 13th century and as such the Ansty surname is believed to originate from the area.
The descriptive nature of the surname has led to a number of spelling variations in the centuries since. It was common at this time for scribes to spell words phonetically so many variations of the same word developed simply due to the regional dialects spoken. For example, the further north a person moved during this time, the more the letter “e” soften the “s” sound, causing the spelling Anstice to exist in some records, although over time Ansty has largely become the most accepted spelling.
Today, there are also many variants and spellings for the Ansty surname. These include the common variations of Anstee, Anstice, Anstay, Anstey, Anstie, Ansteyer, Ansley, Ansell, Anslee, Onstead, Onstie, Onsteed, and Onsteade.
Famous people with the name Ansty
- Commodore Frederick Ansty: the first Canadian computer programmer and Commodore of the Royal Canadian Navy.
- Reginald Ansty: English film and theater actor, mostly known for his roles in the 1960s British television series Compact.
- Henry Ansty: former professional cricket player who played for teams like Durham, Wiltshire and Durham Cricket Club.
- George Ansty: British paleontologist who published works on Victorian vertebrate fossils and the genus Megalosaurus.
- John Ansty: 19th century mathematical writer and author of A Treatise on Algebra with Application, an important work in its field.
- William Ansty: former British MP for Salisbury who served as a Member of Parliament from 1871: 1885.
- Howard Ansty: former English cricketer who played for Middleton Cricket Club in the Lancashire League.
- Robert Ansty: Anglican Priest who served as the Archdeacon of Chichester from 1978 to 1992.
- Edith Ansty: English writer and poet who wrote for the popular magazine The Spectator in the 1920s.
- Tom Ansty: former footballer who played in the early 1900s for Newcastle United.