ASKEY
Askey is a surname of English provenance, with origins that can be traced to both Old English and Old Norse linguistic traditions.
The name is first recorded as arising from the Old English personal name Æscwig, a compound meaning “spear battle”. As a patronymic surname it was originally devised to identify the descendants of a man called Æscwig and, over the courses of centuries, the spelling evolved into the modern form Askey.
Throughout English history the surname has taken a variety of spellings. These include Askew, Ayscough, Ascough, Askie and Haskew, among others. Such variations arose as spelling conventions fluctuated and as families migrated across regions.
The matronymic development of the name is supplemented by a locational origin that can be traced to the place known as Aiskew in the North-Riding of Yorkshire. It appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Echescol and in the 1235 Fine Court Rolls as Aykescogh. The name derives from the Old Norse elements eiki (oak) and skogr (wood), hence “oak wood.” When former inhabitants of that place moved elsewhere, they were identified by the name of their former home, giving rise to the locational surname.
In addition to the locational link, the surname may also stem from a topographic descriptor. One potential root is the Old English phrase aesces ig, meaning “ash island.” This suggests that a bearer's ancestors may have lived on land surrounded by ash trees or within an ash tree–laden area, contributing further variants such as Askie, Aske and Aschey.
Historical records provide the earliest documented instances of the name. The first extant spelling appears in the 1366 Subsidy Rolls of Lancashire, where a William de Ayksaghe is listed. A prominent figure was William Ayscough (d. 1450), who served as Bishop of Salisbury from 1438, being confessor to Henry V and lamentably murdered at Edington in 1450. In the mid‑sixteenth century Sir Hugh Askew acquired the lands of the Convent of Seaton following the dissolution of the monasteries in 1542.
The Askey surname remains rare but is primarily concentrated in northern England, especially within Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cheshire. Internationally, it is most frequently encountered in the United States, with significant concentrations in the states of Utah, Missouri and Michigan, and within Australia it is predominantly found in Victoria.
Notable individuals who have borne the surname include the celebrated British comedian Arthur Askey and the American mathematician Richard Askey, both of whom have contributed to the cultural and intellectual heritage of their respective fields.
In contemporary times the surname Askey is considered uncommon across the globe, with its greatest prevalence still residing in England and the United States. While it does not appear among the most frequent surnames, it remains a recognised name with a rich etymological and historical background.
Typical given names associated with the Askey surname
Male
- Colin
- David
- Ian
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Philip
- Richard
- Robert
- Steven
- Thomas
Female
- Carol
- Helen
- Jacqueline
- Jane
- Janet
- Joan
- Julie
- Margaret
- Marie
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Askey in...
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There are approximately 1,179 people named Askey in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,501st most common surname in Britain. Around 18 in a million people in Britain are named Askey.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Askey
- Arthur Askey - Comedian and actor (1900 to 1982)
- John Askey - Football player and manager
- Anthea Askey - Actress (1933 to 1999)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.