Ancketill is one of Ireland’s rarer surnames, and behind it lies a real seat and a documented story in the drumlins of County Monaghan.
Where does the Ancketill name come from?
The family is recorded as coming originally from Dorset in the south of England. Captain Oliver Ancketill settled in Ireland in the 1630s and the family was established at Ancketill’s Grove, with lands in County Monaghan later confirmed by patent under Charles II. The spelling has shifted over the centuries between Ancketill and Anketell, a common feature of less-numerous names.
The Ancketills of Anketell Grove
Anketell Grove, near Emyvale in County Monaghan, was the long-held seat of the family. Among its members, Oliver Anketell sat as a Member of Parliament for Monaghan and is remembered as one of the founding members of the Royal Dublin Society. For anyone tracing the name in Ireland, this corner of south Ulster is the heartland.
Related Irish family names
If your roots run through Ulster, you may also recognise Acheson, Archdall, and Annesley.
The family crest and tartan artwork shown on our Ancketill products is decorative work inspired by Irish heraldic tradition, offered to celebrate the name rather than as a claim to any individual’s right to arms.
Carry the Ancketill name with you
We make heritage gifts for thousands of Irish and Scottish family names — mugs, woven blankets, ornaments and more. To find yours, type it into the search bar at the top of the page, or see the Ancketill designs here.