Alston

Alston is an English language surname of Anglo-Saxon origin with several derivations. It may have evolved from the Middle English given name "Alstan", the prefix, Al- itself derived from different Old English words ("noble", "elf", "old", "shrine", "temple"), and the suffix -stan ("stone") derived from pre 7th century Old English. The oldest public record of this derivation is found in 1279 in Cambridgeshire. One branch of this name may have been taken from the manor of a Saxon Lord called Alstanus, he had his manor in Stambourne, North East Essex. It is known that he was still in possession of the Manor after the Norman conquest, although as a tenant rather than owner, he held the land annexed against the King. There are a high density of families with the surname Alston and Alliston from around the Sudbury area, not far from Stambourne. In the 1224 feet of fines it is recorded that John son of Adam de Alliston sold land at Stanfeld (Stansfield) Suffolk. Stansfield is a few miles North of Stambourne. Both Stambourne and Stansfield may have taken their name from Æthelstan Half-King, Earl of East Anglia in the 930s.
Alston also evolved as a locational surname from villages named Alston (or Alstone) in Devonshire, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Somerset, and Staffordshire. The oldest public records of the locational surname in these villages are from the period of 1221–1246. An alternate meaning is "from the old manor". The nearest locational name to Stambourne was Alston village in Suffolk near Trimley St Martin, originally in the Domesday Book it was called Alteinestuna. The original meaning may have been Stone of Fire Farm (tuna). Alteines is a Gallic word meaning "stone of fire" and is associated with sorcery. The church was consolidated to Trimley St Martin in 1362.
The coat of arms containing the stars may have been taken as a variant of the coat of arms of the De Veres (Earls of Oxford) who were one of the most powerful post Norman East Anglian families and associated with early East Anglian Alstons.

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Old English origin, means: elf stone, old stone, or a place name, noble one's settlement; form of Alton.

Popularity	Name	Birth Year	Description
1	Theodosia Burr Alston	1783	Daughter of Aaron Burr
2	Rafer Alston	1976	American basketball player
3	Walter Alston	1911	American baseball player
4	William Alston	1921	American Christian philosopher
5	Alston Purvis	1943	American artist, author
6	Alston Koch	1951	Australian musician
7	Gerald Alston	1951	American singer
8	Joseph Alston	1779	American politician
9	Kevin Alston	1988	American soccer player
10	Ashanti Alston	1954	Anarchist activist
11	Blair Alston	1992	Scottish footballer
12	Derrick Alston	1972	American basketball player
13	Peter Alston	1765	American outlaw
14	Jon Alston	1983	American football player
15	Alston Scott Householder	1904	American mathematician
16	Tom Alston	1926	American baseball player
17	Nick Alston	1952	Police and Crime Commissioner
18	Philip Alston	1740	American outlaw
19	Adrian Alston	1949	Australian soccer player
20	Garvin Alston	1971	American baseball player
21	Rex Alston	1901	English sportsman and sports commentator
22	Dean Alston	1950	Australian artist
23	Lela Alston	1942	American politician and a Democratic member of the Arizona House of Representatives
24	Alston G. Dayton	1857	United States federal judge
25	Willis Alston	1769	American politician
26	Robert Alston	1938	Diplomat
27	Louise Alston		Australian film director
28	Dell Alston	1952	Professional baseball player
29	Mack Alston	1947	American football player
30	Quinton Alston	1993	American football player
31	Carole Alston	1957	American actress and musician
32	Tiffany Alston	1977	Politician
33	Kwaku Alston		American photographer
34	O'Brien Alston	1965	American football player
35	Joe Alston	1926	American badminton player
36	Wanda Alston	1959	Activist and government official
37	Mike Alston	1985	American football player
38	Jan Alston	1969	Canadian ice hockey player
39	C. Donald Alston		United States general
40	William J. Alston	1800	United States politician
41	Lemuel J. Alston	1760	American politician
42	Lee J. Alston	1951	American economic historian
43	Alston Johnson	1946	American legal scholar
44	Charles Alston
45	Alston Wise	1904	Canadian ice hockey player
46	Alex Alston	1937	English footballer
47	Royal Alston		American football coach
48	Lyneal Alston	1964	American football player
49	Arthur Hugh Garfit Alston	1902	English botanist
50	Beilby Alston	1868	British diplomat
51	Dave Alston	1846	Umpire
52	Ovie Alston	1905	Jazz trumpeter, vocalist and bandleader
53	Philip H. Alston
54	Granny Alston	1908	Cricketer
55	Richard Alston
56	Arthur Alston	1872	Anglican bishop, the third Bishop of Middleton
57	Edward Richard Alston	1845	Scottish zoologist
58	Michael Alston		Australian Paralympic fencer
59	Edward Alston	1595	President of the College of Physicians
60	Robert W. Alston
61	Rowland Alston	1782	English politician
62	Alston May	1869	Anglican bishop
63	Llewellyn Alston	1890	British Army officer
64	Alston Bobb	1984
65	Lois Alston	1931	Badminton player
66	Julian Mark Alston	1953	American professor
67	Alston Muziyo