Ashenden Family History

From Ashenden in Tenterden (Kent), which is recorded as Esserinden in 1278 and Heshryndenn, Esryndenn in 129. The place-name perhaps means ‘woodland pasture associated with a man called Æschere’ from the Old English personal name Æschere + the connective particle -ing- + denn ‘woodland pasture’, but the first element is far from certain.

Possibly also from Ashendon (Bucks), which is recorded as Assedune in 1086, Essendon in about 1218, Ayssendone in 1255, and Esshendone in 1316. The place-names means ‘hill overgrown with ash-trees’ deriving from Old English æscen ‘ashen’ + dūn ‘hill’.

Compare Ashdown (1).