Ames family


The Ames family is one of the oldest and most illustrious families of the United States. The family's branches are descended from John Ames, the son of a 17th-century settler of the Province of Massachusetts Bay, and numerous public and private works throughout the U.S. are named after family members, including the city of Ames, Iowa.

Origins

The scion of the American Ames family was William Ames who was born in England to John Ames and Cyprian Ames in 1605. The family's earliest known ancestor died in 1560. It is thought the family's surname was, at some point prior to emigration, changed from Amyas. In the 16th century Amyas was frequently confused with Ames.
William Ames immigrated to Massachusetts Bay in 1638, eventually settled in Braintree, and died in about 1653. With his wife Hannah, he had one son, John, born in 1647.

Heraldry

The heraldist William Armstrong Crozier recorded an heraldic achievement matriculated to William Ames, from an original grant issued by the College of Arms.
;Shield
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Notable family members

The children of William Ames' son, John, included John, Nathaniel, and Thomas. They, in turn, had a number of notable descendants.

Descendants of John Ames (born 1672)

The descendants of Thomas Ames, known for the Ames Manufacturing Company and Ames True Temper which was the source of their wealth, have principally been associated with North Easton, Massachusetts. Stonehill College maintains the Ames Family Collection, containing documents related to the Thomas Ames branch dating from the 19th to 20th centuries. They were donated to the college in 2000 by Elizabeth M. Ames, and later supplemented by additional deposits from other family members.