The South Gloucestershire Anstey sub-branch, an offshoot of the South West Peninsula Ansteys, is one of the largest Anstey sub-branches in existence today. It began when a gentleman called Robert Anstee (DY 1), baptised in Knowstone, Devon in 1624, fought on the side of Sir Ralph Hopton’s Royalist army in 1643 during the English Civil War at the Battle of Lansdowne Hill near Dyrham in South Gloucestershire. After the battle, Robert decided to settle in Dyrham and marry Elizabeth, having two sons Robert (DY 2 – b 1646 in Dyrham) and George (DY 3 – b 1649 in Dyrham).
Hence the Dyrham Ansteys are the principal and root Anstey sub-branch of the South Gloucestershire Ansteys.
There are numerous South Gloucestershire Anstey sub-branches including:
- Dyrham Ansteys;
- Stoke Gifford Ansteys (to which researchers G. M. Anstey (Gary) and T. J. Anstey (Tom) belong);
- Doynton Anstees;
- Christchurch, Monmouthshire Anstees;
- Cumberland, Iowa Ansteys;
- Grand River, Iowa Ansteys;
- Grant, Wisconsin Ansteys;
- Llandenny Ansteys;
- Massena, Iowa Ansteys;
- Minersville, Pennsylvania Ansteys; and
- Sweetwater, Wyoming Anstees
The entirety of the early South Gloucestershire Anstey pedigree has now been mapped out by researchers Gary and Tom and is thoroughly documented in the book
ANSTEY: The Stoke Gifford Branch
This is the fourth book co-authored by Gary and Tom, the first edition of which was privately printed in September 2019.
The Complete Anstey Story - From 1143 to Modern Times 