Show ContentsBalsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Balsley family

The surname Balsley was first found in Lancashire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Balsley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balsley research. Another 201 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1246, 1258, 1265, 1332, 1401, 1512, 1522, 1608, 1622 and 1628 are included under the topic Early Balsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Balsley Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Balsley include Balshaw, Balshawe, Ballshaw, Balsagh, Balshagh, Balshay and many more.

Early Notables of the Balsley family

More information is included under the topic Early Balsley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Balsley migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Balsley or a variant listed above:

Balsley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Chas. Balsley, who immigrated to America, in 1910
  • Constance Balsley, who landed in America, in 1910
  • Helen Balsley, aged 4, who immigrated to the United States, in 1923

Contemporary Notables of the name Balsley (post 1700) +

  • John H. Balsley (1823-1895), American master carpenter and inventor who invented and patented the folding wooden stepladder
  • Philip Elwood Balsley (b. 1939), American former baritone singer for The Statler Brothers
  • Darren Balsley (b. 1964), American pitching coach for the Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres


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