Duxburys and Ashworths

An article on John Ashworth by Janell R. Duxbury, which later appeared in the Manchester Genealogist (Manchester & Lancashire Family History Society), Volume 60, No. 4 (2024), pp. 297-302, entitled "John Ashworth (1800-1834): The Brief and Woeful Life of an Excise Officer" raised my interest in the Ashworth families.

John was Janell Duxbury’s 3rd great grandfather through his fourth child, Sarah Ann Ashworth (1831-1920), and also my 3rd great grandfather through his third child, James Ashworth (1828-1896), thus making Janell and myself fourth cousins.

Janell Duxbury’s Duxbury line comes from Ralph Duxbury (b abt 1696) of Waterside, Colne, Lancashire. If his ancestors could be found, it can be expected that they would have come through Ulf de Duxbury (b abt 1120) from whom I am believed to descended.

Although an immediate assumption would be that Duxbury would be our link, as we are both descended from Duxburys, our common link is much more recent through the Ashworth line, John Ashworth.

Ashworths, like Duxburys, come from Central Lancashire, in northern England and, based on the 1901 UK census and other records, were about five times more numerous than the Duxburys with a significantly greater number in proportion emigrating to the United States.

Since 1840 there have been 14 identified Duxbury / Ashworth marriages, ten Duxbury bridegrooms and four Duxbury brides. Why this imbalance of male Duxburys preferring Ashworth brides to male Ashworths preferring Duxbury brides?

Seven of these marriages, four male and three female Duxburys are from the main Ulf de Duxbury line, one from the Ralph Duxbury (b 1696) of Colne line, one from John Duxbury (b1696) of Altham with the remaining five from Duxburys for which no link has been currently found to any of the main Duxbury trees on this website.

No link has yet been found between any of the fourteen Ashworths; an interesting exercise in genealogy if anyone has time! .

Ronald Taylor

March 2025