Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Amsden
Variants: Amesden, Amesdon, Amsdon, Amston
Category: 3 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way on a global basis.
Contact: Mr Peter Amsden
This is a place holder for this One-Name Study profile page.
First known use of name:-
Baptism of Ralphe Amsden, son of Thomas. Wing, Buckinghamshire. 10th Dec. 1547.
First known incidence in London:-
Marriage of William Amsden to Elizabeth Richardson at, St Bartolphs, Bishopsgate. 17th Oct. 1583.
First known incidence in U.S.A.:-
Isacke Amsden mentioned in the inventory of the estate of:- Nathaniel Sparhawk of Massachusetts. June 1647. For further information on the Amsdens arriving the the Americas see The American Connection
Origination of Name:-
Appears to stem from Ambrosden in Oxfordshire. It is not of Dutch origin, as recent research in the Dutch Archives has shown.
Research has shown a concentration of Amsdens around the Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Southern parts of Warwickshire areas during the 16th and 17th centuries. Berkshire during the 18th and early 19th centuries.
Amsden and Amsdon at one time appear to have been synonymous - uncertain at this time when the complete division took place, but they were certainly confused around 1800 in Berkshire.
Three present known UK branches. The heads of these are as follows:-
No actual connection between these branches has yet been made. Difficulties have been experienced because the two earlier branches (1 & 2) appear to have been Baptists, and records of their births and parents have not come to light.
THE AMERICAN CONNECTION
Over the years I have seen many statements relating to the first Amsden to arrive in the Americas, generally thought to have been Isaac. Some of these have been based on broadly known facts, others have been based on a great deal of conjecture and frequently stated as fact. In order to put this into some perspective, here is the truth as understood at this time, i.e the start of 2000.
ISAAC AMSDEN
The Facts and the Assumptions
Fact - An ISAAC AMSDEN arrived in the Americas prior to 1654. Since he in mentioned in the estates of Nathaniel Sparhawk in 1647 it has been assumed that he must have arrived there prior to that date. However, the AMSDEN's and the SPARHAWK's lived in close proximity to each other in Oxfordshire prior to 1600, so there is no guarantee that they did not know each other before either of them went to the Americas.
Fact - ISAAC AMSDEN married FRANCES PERRIMAN 8 Jun 1654 in MA
Fact - These two had children ISAAC and JACOB
Fact - A JOHN AMSDEN appears in MA at around the same time as ISAAC AMSDEN.
Fact - JOHN AMSDEN married ELIZABETH (? ) and they had two children JOHN and ISAAC.
Fact - An ISAAC AMSDEN was baptised at St Nicholas church, Colchester, England, 24 Aug 1620. Father - WILLIAM Mother - REBECCA
Conjecture - That the ISAAC born in Colchester, England is the same ISAAC that turns up in the Americas. Other than the coincidence of this Isaac's birth date being about right for the Isaac in the Americas, there is no proof that these are one and the same person. No evidence has been found relating to sailing dates from England or for arrival in the Americas.
Conjecture - That JOHN AMSDEN is the son of ISAAC AMSDEN (who married Frances Perriman) by an earlier marriage to a person unknown. It has been assumed that ISAAC married whilst still in England and that this wife and his son JOHN went to the Americas. That his wife died there and he later married Frances. No evidence has been found to support this assumption.
If this Amsden family had been resident in Colchester for any length of time then one would expect evidence that Isaac had married, and that a son (John) had been born there.
There is evidence that a JOHN AMSDEN was baptised at St Nicholas, Colchester on 8 Feb 1623. Father- WILLIAM. Mother - KATHREN. It is possible, therefore, that the father of ISAAC is the same as that of JOHN. REBECCA dying and WILLIAM remarrying. This would make JOHN, ISAAC's half brother, not his son. JOHN's age at the time of his death would then be 73 and not 46 as usually stated. This is perfectly feasible.
Another aspect of this story should also be borne in mind. The surname AMSDEN was unusual in the area around Colchester at that time., but the surname EMSDEN was less so. It would seem that the AMSDEN's in Colchester came from somewhere else in the country, unless EMSDEN had been corrupted to AMSDEN. If this is the case then the AMSDEN's in the Americas are actually members of the EMSDEN family and not the AMSDEN family. Whilst EMSDEN and AMSDEN would seem to be obvious variations of the same name, (and there is evidence that this did happen), there is only scant proof that they are one and the same family.
The conclusion is that the history of ISAAC and JOHN AMSDEN in England is, at best, conjecture and should be treated as such until such time as factual evidence comes to light.