Name derived from several places in England called Ashby or from residence at a farm (byr) amongst  ash trees or owned by one called "Ash". In this case "Ash" is a personal name which like "byr"  or "by" is of Norse-Viking origins, from around the 800 ad period. The name is frequently found in  the Lincolnshire, Leicestershire and East Midlands region of England, an area under Norse  influence. Prior to the creation of the “Doomsday Book” in 1086 surnames where not needed and  seldom used. The whole purpose of the “Doomsday Book” was property or personal taxation known as  the Poll Tax.
 In the modern idiom the name has four variant spellings; Ashby, Ashbe, Ashbee, and Ashbey. The  earliest recorded version of this name found to date is; Sir William de Essheby born about 1125. He  was a Knights Templar and founded the Knights Templar Preceptory  “Temple Bruer” around 1150. It  became the second wealthiest in Britain. See Researchers Note: 1  Around the same time period as Sir William appeared another Norseman named Alain de Porhoet la  Couche or Alain la Zouche  born about 1150. Acquired land holdings “through marriage” in a farming  area known as Ashby. He built a Manor House at this property and after him the settlement was known  as “Ashby-de-la-Zouch”. 
 Robert de Essheby   born about 1150 “son?” of Sir William, founded “Catesby Priory”  in about 1175.  He endowed it with Catesby Priory Church, land in the parish at Lower Catesby, Upper Catesby and  Newbold. Also the Chapelry of Hellidon, the Parish of Canons Ashby and that of Basford,  Nottinghamshire. In 1229 King Henry III, mandated Hugh de Neville to allow the priories timber from  the forest of Silverstone in the Royal park to build their Churches. William born 1180 son of Robert de Essheby, Gave to the Knights Templar the advowson of the  villages Church “Catesby Priory Church” dedicated to “St. Hybald”  in return for the Templars  providing a Chaplain to preform divine service in the “private” Chapel, dedicated to St Margaret in  the de Essheby’s manor house. 
 Jordan born 1210 son of William de Essheby. The advowson of the Church “Catesby Priory Church”  returned to the family sometime around 1230 but after the death of William in 1243, Jordan once  again gave the Church back to the Templars. 
 Cecilia, daughter and sole heir of Jordan de Essheby, married Walter de la Launde. Upon the death  of her father Jordan in 1260. Inherited the manor of Ashby. After this the settlement became known  as “Ashby-de-la-Launde”.
 Sir David de Esseby born about 1212, brother of Jordan, 2nd son of William de Essheby. A mortgage  was held by Henry de Hastings in Huntingdon/Grendon for Sir David de Esseby. This was the property  of the manor house of “Ashby David” and later to be known as “Castle Ashby”. David had also  built “The Church of St. Mary Magdalene”  of late Norman architecture, just to the south of the  manor house. On the floor of the Chapel is an Effigy of marble of a Knight in Chain-mill armor,  cross-legged with shield and sward in hand. Said to represent Sir David de Esseby.  David  apparently was killed at the battle of “Evesham”  in 1265. One year later the King made a Grant  to “Isabel” David’s widow from David’s lands in Ashby, Grendon and Chadstone. Sir David  apparently  had a 2nd mortgage on the “Ashby David” manor house to Alan la Zouch,  great grandson of Alain de  Porhoet la Couche. Due to the “heavy debt” the manor house was awarded to Alan la Zouch and in 1276  the property was inherited by Alan’s widow Ellen. In 1284 their son Oliver la Zouch, “somehow”  acquired the lands of Ashby and Grendon from John Hastings. Note: How John Hasting acquired the  lands to begin with is unknown at this time. After this it is known that Oliver la Zouch received  from the King a license to crenellate the manor house of “Ashby David” which he was rebuilding.  Thus casing the manor to be renamed “Castle Ashby”. See Researchers Note: 2 Richard de Esseby, born about 1260 wife Alice “parents or connection to the above Esseby line is  unknown at this time”. Was named “Lord of Manors of South Croxton” by King Edward I in 1297.    “Ashby-de-la-Zouch”  remained in the la Zouch family from about 1150 until around 1450 when the  property was acquired through inheritance and by marriage, by Baron William Hastings. Note: as  follows;  The family line of “Mortimer” was married into the “House of Plantagenet” line  through “Lionel of Antwerp”, “Edmund of Langley” and Margaret “Plantagenet” whom, were children of  King Edward III. The family line of “Neville” was also married into the “House of Plantagenet” line  through “John of Gaunt’s”  daughter “Joan Beaufort” she was a granddaughter of King Edward III.   The family line of “Hastings” was also married into the “House of Plantagenet” line through “John  of Gaunt’s” daughter “Elizabeth of Lancaster” also a granddaughter of King Edward III. Also by way  of Margaret “Plantagenet”. After that, la Zouch had married into the “Mortimer” line and  the “Neville” line. The granddaughter of “Joan Beaufort” and 5th great granddaughter of “Margaret  la Zouch”, Katherine Neville married Baron William Hastings. This is how the “Hastings” family  acquired “Ashby-de-la-Zouch” .  In 1474 Hastings was awarded “license to crenellate” at Ashby-de-la- Zouch .  Baron William Hastings was “beheaded” on April 9, 1483 for his participation in the “War  of the Roses”. After this the Castle was home to “Henry Hastings”, Earl of Huntingdon. At this time  is when “Mary Queen of Scots” was detained there in “Hastings Tower” for about 3 months during  1569. The Castle was the target of action in 1644 and was subjected to a long siege from September  1645 and it’s surrender in March 1646. “Hastings 1st Baron of Loughborough”, marched out with the  honors of war. The surrender terms however demanded that the Castle be “demolished”, with the  remaining Hastings family moving to “Donington Hall” near Derby. The outer fortifications being  immediately leveled but the main Castle buildings and Towers survived until about 1648, at which  time they were mostly destroyed by Parliamentary forces. The Chapel Cemetery is still in use as a  Hasting family burial place to this day.
 King Edward III, had another son, “Thomas of Woodstock” whom married “Eleanor de Bohun”. Their  daughter Anne “Plantagenet” born 1383, she married “William Bourchier”. Their son “Henry Bourchier”  born 1405, married his 1st cousin “Isabel of Cambridge”. She was the daughter of “Richard of  Coinsburgh” and “Anne de Mortimer”. 
 “William Bourchier, Viscount”  born 1480, son of “Henry and Isabel” , married “Anne Woodville” or  Wydeville. She was the sister of “Queen Consort Elizabeth Woodville”.  Sometime around the year 1300, in England the English Language was being standardized to the  preferred “Old English”. Surnames were shortened and simplified such as de Essheby and Esseby,  became the familiar Ashby.
 From this time the family tree moves forward in time and down the line 7 more generations to  1628. “Mary Shuckbrugh” daughter and soul heir of “Euseby Shuckbrugh” of Naseby. She was the 11th  great granddaughter of King Edward III.
 “William de Esseby” born 1346. Brother and heir to “Philip ?”, was ordered by Parliament to forfeit  his lands for committing murder but he was allowed to keep his manor house! Some story’s claimed he  murdered his wife!  
 “Thomas” born 1442, son of “William de Esseby”. Married “Catharine Hesilrige”. Owned lands at  Loseby.
 “William Ashby” born 1489, son of “Thomas de Esseby”. Inherited land at Loseby and acquired land at  Quenby. This “William” had 2 sons and 2 daughters. The property of Quenby was in a grant from the  King to the Ashby’s. 
 “Robert” 1st son of “William Ashby”, acquired lands at “Hungerton”. His son also “Robert” inherited  this land.
  “George” 2nd son of “William Ashby”, inherited the lands of Loseby and Quenby. He became “George  Ashby Esq. of Loseby. 
 “Robert Ashby of Hungerton” born about 1517 son of “Robert”, married his 2nd cousin. “Barbara Ashby  of Loseby”, daughter of “George”. Thus uniting these 2 lines of “Ashby”  “George” born about 1555 son of “Robert Ashby of Hungerton” and “Barbara Ashby of Loseby”, acquired  lands at Naseby, inherited lands at Loseby from a cousin and inherited the land at Quenby from his  father. He became “George Ashby of Loseby and Naseby”. He married “Mary Gedney”  and was “High  Sheriff of Leicestershire” in 1601.
 “George Ashby of Naseby and Quenby” born about 1581, son of “George and Mary”. Married “Elizabeth  Bennet”. He sold the “Lordship” of Loseby to a Mr. Paramore and from 1631 to 1636 built “Quenby  Hall” at a cost of 12,000 pounds. He was “High Sheriff of Leicestershire” in 1627. “John” born about 1647,3rd son of “George and Elizabeth”  married “Elizabeth Thorowgood”  their son  also “John Ashby” sailed to America. See Researchers Notes: 3 “George Ashby Esquire of Quenby”  born 1629, oldest son of “George and Elizabeth”. He married “Mary  Shuckbrugh” . he inherited Quenby Hall from his father. He was “High Sheriff of Leicestershire” in  1666. George and Mary had 8 children, 3 sons and 5 daughters.  This Ashby Family Tree encompasses about 550 years in England from 1125 – 1672. It puts the stories  of “Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Castle Ashby and Quenby Hall” in perspective as the 3 castles tie together  in the family lines.  
 If your family line is from “George Ashby and Elizabeth Bennet” . Then you are from “Quenby Hall”  with ties to “Castle Ashby”. You are descended from a long line of “Anglo-Norse Viking Nobility”  and the Knights Templar. 
 If your family line is from “George Ashby and  Mary Shuckbrugh”. Then your family is descended from  all of the above. To include King Edward III and the “House of Plantagenet” which is also “Anglo- Norman”.
 Researchers Notes:
   1.This is “probably” were the Ashby family acquired its wealth and Nobility.    2.It is this researchers “belief” that William de Essheby b. 1180 and his 2 sons (Jordan and Sir  David) were in fact all Knights Templar. As they kept returning the advowson of Catesby Priory  Church back to the Templars. However no proof of this has been located.   3.John Ashby b. 1647 of Quenby Hall. Had a son also named John whom sailed to America. To Charles  Town, Carolina. Were he built a large plantation called Quenby plantation. This same John Ashby had  a son named Thomas Ashby b. 1684. Some persons have speculated that this Thomas Ashby is the same  Thomas Ashby b. 1680 that appears in Virginia, USA. Patriarch of the famed Ashby’s of Virginia.  However, NO PROOF OF THIS HAS EVER BEEN FOUND! It is possible that the birth date of Thomas of  Virginia is in error. As it is a calculation derived from the date his “will” was proved. “It is  this researcher’s belief” that the 2 Thomas’s are not the same. However, I do believe the Ashby’s  of Virginia are in fact from Quenby Hall. As many books indicate that Thomas of Virginia and his  descendants carried on the traditions of “Jousting and the Fox Hunt. Two traditions normally  reserved for the Noble and Royal families of England.