The "Aston" part of the toponym is derived from the Old English for "Eastern Estate". At the time of the Domesday Book in 1086 the village was known as Cold Aston, and both it and Haddenham were owned by the same manor, suggesting that Aston got its name from being the farming estate to the east of Haddenham. The owner of both places in 1086 was listed as Manno the Breton.
By 1199 the estate had been annexed by the Norman rulers and was placed into the extensive estates belonging to the heirs of Odo, Bishop of Bayeux: the Sandfords. It was from this time that the village became known as Aston Sandford.
The Church of England parish church of Saint Michael and All Angels is one of the smallest in England.[2] The nave is probably 12th century and the chancel is probably 13th century.[2] The chancel arch is also 13th century.[3] The northeast window and blocked north doorway are probably 14th century and a buttress on the west wall is probably 15th century.[2] However, the building was so extensively restored and reworked in 1878 that it is difficult to date any of its features with certainty.[2]
The parish's rector from 1803 to 1821 was the biblical commentator Revd. Thomas Scott, who trained the first missionaries of the Church Missionary Society here.
