The Ashby surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 17,482 people carried this name — #2,069 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 16,900 people counted. That is up 5% from 16,723 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Ashby surname

From Old English æsċ (“ashtree”) + Old Norse býr (“farm, town”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Ashby» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a local name, from where the family lived: ‘of Ashby’.

An early record he cites: David de Assheby, Northamptonshire, 1291–92 (20 Edward I) — Placita de Quo Warranto.

His entry covers Ashby, Ashbee and Ashbey.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 62 · public domain.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Ashby was found among the farmers of 8 counties.

It was most frequent in Northamptonshire: 45 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 222. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Northamptonshire 45
Hertfordshire 20
Warwickshire 18
Leicestershire and Rutland 17
Kent 15
Sussex 14
Essex 9
Derbyshire 6

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

33 families named Ashby, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 210 people lived in those households, 6.4 to a family on average. The table counts it together with one other spelling. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Virginia 20
Massachusetts 4
New York 3
Connecticut 2
North Carolina 2
South Carolina 2

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 227 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Ashby in American newspapers,
1892–1913.

Newspaper page from Aberdeen Herald carrying the name Ashby
Aberdeen Herald 1892-02-25
Newspaper page from The Helena Independent carrying the name Ashby
The Helena Independent 1892-04-25
Newspaper page from The Tupelo Journal carrying the name Ashby
The Tupelo Journal 1913-05-16

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

Ashby in Australian newspapers,
1830s–2000s.

23,162 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ashby. The most, 4,320, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in South Australia, at 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

South Australia 7,192
New South Wales 4,572
Queensland 4,411
Victoria 3,663
Western Australia 2,705
Tasmania 473
ACT (Canberra) 96
Northern Territory 16

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Ashby.

Who carried it

People named Ashby,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ann Ashby Manigault
    Ann Ashby Manigault 1703–1782 · diarist
  • Ann Ashby Manigault
    Ann Ashby Manigault 1705–1782 · diarist
  • Thomas Ashby d. 1743 · politician
  • William Ashby d. 1593 · politician
  • Mildred Florence Ashby d. 1927
  • George Ashby 1656–1728 · politician

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Ashby,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,257 records

1,257 records of the Ashby name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 584
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 258
  • Other U.S. records 415
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Donald Roberts Ashby

    Born 1930; from Newport News, Virginia. U.S. Navy, pilot; died in an accident 1967 in Offshore, South Vietnam. Buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Howard R. Ashby

    Born 1925 in Virginia. Enlisted 1943 at Roanoke; farm hand from Frederick County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1988, buried at Culpeper National Cemetery, Virginia.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record John Ashby

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 19; laborer. From Queenstown, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 1,257 records for Ashby in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia588 records

588 records of the Ashby name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 292
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 110
  • Other Australian records 186
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record William Ashby

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1854. Married 1854 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 45.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Joseph Ashby

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Asia, arriving 1832; ticket of leave 1838.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Charles Ashby

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Mirzapore, aged 31; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 588 records for Ashby in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

New Zealand76 records

76 records of the Ashby name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 54
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 12
  • Other New Zealand records 10
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record George Edward Ashby

    Died 1991, aged 80; buried at Belfast Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Marjorie Beatrice Ashby

    Died 2000, aged 56; buried at Fairhall Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Ashby

    Buried in 1910 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 62.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 76 records for Ashby in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom48 records

48 records of the Ashby name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 36
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 9
  • Other British records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William Ashby

    Died 1971, aged 71; buried at Balfron Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Hannah Ashby

    Will proved in 1939; of Rhyl, Flint.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record G. F. Ashby

    Driver, Royal Horse Artillery. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 48 records for Ashby in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada32 records

32 records of the Ashby name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 10
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 5
  • Other Canadian records 17
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Chas J. Ashby

    Came to Ontario in 1877 aboard the Manitoban, bound for Montreal, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Donald Cummings Ashby

    Buried in 1991 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 65.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Frederick Harry Penniston Ashby

    Died 1963 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 32 records for Ashby in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

France4 records

4 records of the Ashby name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Randolph Ashby

    Born 1940 in Georgetown (Guyana); died 1992 in Cayenne (Guyane).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Eileen Ada Doris Ashby

    Born 1924 in Great Britain; died 1999 in Niort (Deux-Sèvres).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  3. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Roy Bernard Rene Ashby

    Born 1918 in Rouen (Seine-Maritime); died 1992 in Pamiers (Ariège).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 3 of 4 records for Ashby in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Ashby name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Harold William Ashby

    Married in 1947 in Zandvoort.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Francis George Ashby

    In a population register.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Ashby.

When the index is not enough

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