The Ashbaugh name is an Americanization of the
German name Eschbach sometimes spelled Eschenbach, Eschbach, or Eshbach. As you may well
be aware, many immigrants to the United States spoke little or no English. The people here
spoke little or no German. Many immigrants were also illiterate. When census takers,
county officials, and/or others interviewed these immigrants, they simply spelled the name as
it sounded to them. Some of these mispellings "stuck". Johann Heinrich Eschbach, our
immigrant ancestory eventually became known as Henry Ashbaugh.
I don't know about the other Ashbaughs, but through the years, I've heard
the name mispronounced many times many ways. If you are not an Ashbaugh and wish to pronounce
it correctly, just think of the word "taught" and take off the "t" at the beginning and end
and add the "ash" and "b" in front. Now you have it!
The German name Eschbach comes from "esch" meaning Ash or Ash Trees and
"bach" meaning brook. Put together, the name means a brook or river that flows by Ash trees.
The original Eschbachs or Ashbaughs came from an area near or by a river or stream that flowed by
Ash trees.
Although no one knows for certain, the original family came most likely
from Germany, somewhere in the Paletine section, possibly along the Rhine River.
There is a family Coat of Arms, although at the present time I have no copy of
it, but when I am able, I will post a copy below.
Background music: The Ash Grove
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