| ![Show Contents]() Kearsey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The ancestors of the name Kearsey date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in Kersey, a parish in Suffolk. The place-name Kersey is derived from the Old English elements cærse, which means watercress, and eg, the old English word for island. It was recorded as Cæresige c. 995, and as Careseia in the Domesday Book, 1 compiled in 1086. The name as a total means "island where the watercress grows." The surname is derived from the place-name. In the early Middle Ages, local surnames were often proceeded by the word de or atte, which meant of and at, respectively. This custom was brought to England by the Normans after they conquered the Saxon Nobility at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The surname as a whole, de Kearsey, meant "of Kersey." Eventually, the use of de and atte declined, as Old English and Old Norman fused into Old English over the next few centuries. Early Origins of the Kearsey familyThe surname Kearsey was first found in Suffolk at Kersey, a village and a civil parish in the Babergh district which today includes the hamlets of Kersey Tye, Kersey Upland, Wicker Street Green, and William's Green. Originally part of the hundred of Cosford, it comprised about 1,465 acres and an Augustine priory was founded there at an early period dedicated to St. Mary and St. Anthony; at the Dissolution it was granted to King's College, Cambridge. 2 Kersey is the name of a coarse woollen cloth having derived its name from kersey yarn and ultimately from the village of Kersey. Early History of the Kearsey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kearsey research. Another 67 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1272, 1616, 1690 and 1720 are included under the topic Early Kearsey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kearsey Spelling VariationsKearsey has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Kearsey have been found, including Kersey, Kercey, Keresey, Kearsey and others. Early Notables of the Kearsey familyAnother 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kearsey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 Kearsey migration to the United States | + |
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Kearseys to arrive on North American shores:
Kearsey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- John Kearsey, aged 24, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Rosalind" from Halifax, England 3
- Alexander Kearsey, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Rosalind" from St. John's, Newfoundland via Halifax 3
- James Kearsey, aged 21, arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Rosalind" from St. John's, Newfoundland 3
- James Kearsey, aged 20, originally from St Johns, arrived in City Island N.Y. in 1919 aboard the ship "Rosalind" from Halifax & St.Johns Newfounland 3
- Francis Kearsey, aged 47, originally from London, England, arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Saxonia" from London, England 3
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
| Kearsey migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Kearsey Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- E. Mary Kearsey, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "India" in 1875 4
| Contemporary Notables of the name Kearsey (post 1700) | + |
- Margaret Kearsey, American Democratic Party politician, Presidential Elector for Ohio, 1992, 1996 5
- Michael "Mike" Kearsey, British musician, known for his brass arrangements
- Alexander Horace Cyril Kearsey DSO, OBE (1877-1967), British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First World War
|
Kearsey migration to the United States 
Kearsey migration to New Zealand 
