This very interesting surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and has a number of distinct derivations. Firstly, it may represent the surname developed from the Middle English personal name "Alstan", which is itself the result of a coalescence of various Olde English personal names: "Aethelstan", "Aelystan", "Ealdstan", and "Eahlstan". These compound names all share the same second element, the Olde English pre 7th century "stan", stone, and have as the first element, respectively, "aethel", noble, "aelf", elf, "eald", old, and "eahl", shrine, temple.
The surname from the medieval "Alstan" is first recorded in the Cambridgeshire Hundred Rolls of 1279 as in Henry Alston. Secondly, the modern surname Alston may be of locational origin, from any of the various places called Alston in Lancashire, Devonshire and Somerset, or Alstone in Gloucestershire and Staffordshire. These are variously named with the Olde English personal names "Aelfwine", elf-friend, "Aelfsige", elf-victory, "Aethelnoth", noble-daring, and "Aelfred", elf-counsel, and the Olde English "tun", settlement. The first recording of the surname, below, is a locational name, and other early examples include: William de Alsiston (1221, Worcestershire), John de Alnethestan (1230 Devonshire), and Roger de Alleston (1246 Lancashire). The marriage of William Alston and Elizabeth Dennis was recorded at St. Bride's, Fleet Street, London, on August 21st 1656. An early Coat of Arms granted to the family depicts ten gold estoiles, four, three, two and one, on a blue shield. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Aluredeston, which was dated 1194, in the Staffordshire Pipe Rolls, during the reign of Richard 1, known as "Richard the Lionheart", 1189 - 1199. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Discovering the historical roots of alston is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname alston is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname alston, and in addition to the original locations of alston, we can find out where people with the surname alston can currently be found.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname alston. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname alston provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations. The mobility of people carrying the surname alston has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.
The historical chronicle of alston is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname alston, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of alston developed. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname alston are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname alston, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about alston and send it to us, we will update it on this website. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname alston or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of alston.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished alstons throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname alston were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. A surname like alston can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname alston who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of alston. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of alston are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname alston, as well as many other surnames.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of alston, and at the same time, of surnames in general.