ASTBURY
The surname Astbury is of English origin and is a locative name derived from a place in the Midlands of England. The place name is recorded in the early medieval Pipe Rolls of Cheshire as Esteburi circa 1100 and as Asteburi circa 1180. It is built from the Old English elements east, meaning “east”, and burh, meaning “fortified town” or “stronghold”, so the name can be understood as “eastern fortress” or “fortress in the east”.
In the early modern period the name was documented in a number of church registers. A record of the marriage of Roger Astbury to Ann Shawe on 30 November 1633 in Prestbury, along with the later engagements and baptisms of members of the family, shows the surname in use throughout Cheshire from the early seventeenth century onwards. The first known variant spelling to appear is Asbury, which shows up in the marriage of Katherin Asbury to Samuel Crane in Chester on 6 May 1724 and the christening of Joan Asbury in Davenham on 5 August 1770.
The Astbury arms, recorded for the family, are described as a red field with a fesse between three silver mullets; the crest being a knight’s spur. The silver mullets (spurs) are taken to signify a person of knightly stature who is sincere and loyal in command, attributes that the family has traditionally claimed to possess.
Geographical distribution data from recent census work shows that the surname remains relatively rare outside the British Isles. The highest concentrations are now found in the West Midlands, especially in Staffordshire towns such as Wombourne and Brewood. Earlier records indicate that the Astburys had a longstanding seat in the ancient village and parish of Astbury in Staffordshire. The name is linked to the historic Saxon kingdom of Mercia, which is recorded in the Domesday Book as Asteberge, and to the post‑Conquest settlement pattern of Aest-burh (East fort). Movement of families from Staffordshire into North West England dates from the mid‑seventeenth century.
The surname has generated a number of spelling variations. These include Asteby, Estybury, Estbury, Astray, Asterbury, Ezterbury, Astarbury, Ezterbery, and Ezterbery. The spellings Astbiri and Estbiri, with an I ending, have occasionally appeared. In Scotland the name is sometimes recorded as Astbry or Astbre, while in Russia a similar toponymic form is used as Ostrovskogo and its derivatives. A distant Irish form, Astonbury, is an anglicised version of the Gaelic name O’Stuama.
Because of its locative nature and the relative scarcity of extant records, genealogists rely heavily on parish registers, civil marriage licences, and contemporary tax rolls to trace the family tree. Online resources and published family histories now allow researchers to map the Astbury lineage back many centuries, though the name itself remains uncommon outside the United Kingdom.
Typical given names associated with the Astbury surname
Male
- David
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
- Steve
- William
Female
- Claire
- Jane
- Janet
- Karen
- Linda
- Louise
- Margaret
- Rebecca
- 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 Astbury in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Astbury are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Malted milk biscuit.
There are approximately 3,083 people named Astbury in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,924th most common surname in Britain. Around 47 in a million people in Britain are named Astbury.
Famous people named Astbury
- Ian Astbury - Rock musician; lead singer for The Cult
- William Astbury - Biochemist (1898 to 1961)
- John Meir Astbury - High Court Judge (1860 to 1939)
- Fred Astbury - Politician (1872 to 1954)
- Mike Astbury - Football player
- Alan Astbury - Canadian physicist (1934 to 1)
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.