Forms: 4 ancestrie, -istry, aunceterye, -cetre, -setre, 4–6 awncestry(e, auncetrie, -etry(e, 4–7 -estrie, 5–6 auncestrye, ancestrye, 6 auncetrye, -itrie, 6–7 -estry, 5– ancestry. [An Eng. modification (due to the survival of ancestre and not ancessour, as the Eng. form) of OFr. anceserie, ancesserie, f. ancesor ANCESTOR + -ie (see -Y), as if:—late L. *antecēssorī-a.]
1. The relation or condition of ancestors; progenitorship; ancestral lineage or descent. Hence, Distinguished or ancient descent.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 14. What þorgh lowe of lond, & olde auncestrie, Wan he þe regne of Westsex.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Reeves T., 62. His purpos was for to bistowe hire hye In to som worthy blood of Auncetrye [v.r. -trie, -terye, -cestrie].
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XV. 6319. Þe proud kyng, was full pure ryche, Of aunsetre old.
c. 1435. Wyntoun, Cron., IX. xxvii. 45. Mychty lordis of ancestry.
1513. Bradshaw, St. Werburge (1848), 10. Blessed Saynt Werburge … Descended by auncetry and title famous.
1591. Shaks., Two Gent., V. iv. 139. Now, by the honor of my Ancestry.
1697. Dryden, Æneid, XI. 82. A Son, whose Death disgraced his Ancestry.
1713. Addison, Guardian, No. 123, ¶ 1 (J.). Title and Ancestry render a good Man more Illustrious, but an ill one more Contemptible.
1836. Hor. Smith, Tin Trump., I. 28. They who on length of ancestry enlarge.
2. collect. The persons who stand to us in the above relation; the line or body of ancestors. (Cf. the similar passage from abst. to concrete in tenantry, chivalry, gentry, majesty, knighthood, peerage.)
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron., 81. His auncestrie whilom when let it þorgh folis.
1483. Caxton, Gold. Leg., 423/3. Thys place is belongyng to me by myn owne herytage comyng fro myn auncestrye.
1594. Barclay, Cyt. & Uplondyshm., 27. Theyr patrymony, Whiche was to them lefte by theyr olde auncestry.
c. 1625. R. James, in Shaks. Cent. Praise, 164. You are descended of Noble Auncestrie.
1780. Cowper, Table Talk, 372. Our ancestry, a gallant Christian race.
1825. J. Neal, Bro. Jonathan, III. 419. A powerful nation, whose large ancestry had peopled … all that part of the earth.
