| ![Show Contents]() Balsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The surname Balsley is generally thought to have been from Balshaw which "probably meant Bald(a)’s Wood from the Middle English shaw (e) + the Old English word scaga, a thicket, wood." 1 This is presumably one of the lost villages of England, as we can find no trace of it today. However, today Balshaw's Church of England High School is located in Leyland, Lancashire. Early Origins of the Balsley familyThe surname Balsley was first found in Lancashire, where they held a family seat from ancient times at Balshaw, near Lathom. 2 The record of the family was Robert de Balsagh who was listed in the Assize Rolls for 1246. Later, the same rolls recorded Robert Balshagh in 1401. 3 The Lay Subsidy Rolls for Lancashire included: Adam de Balshagh; and John de Balshagh as both holding lands there in 1332. Early History of the Balsley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Balsley research. Another 202 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 VariationsUntil 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 familyMore information is included under the topic Early Balsley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
 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) | + |
- Philip Elwood "Phil" Balsley (b. 1939), American former baritone singer for The Statler Brothers, inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2008
- James R. Balsley, U.S. Geological Survey, American researcher who conducted airborne magnetometer near this peak during United States Navy Operation Highjump, 1946-47, eponym of Balsley Peak, Antarctica
- Brad Balsley (b. 1988), American sports shooter who specialized in the 25 meter rapid fire pistol and 25 meter center-fire pistol events, winner of gold medals at the 2015 Pan American Games and 2010 and 2014 American championships
- Thomas Balsley FASLA (b. 1943), American founder and principal designer of Thomas Balsley Associates, a New York City-based design
- John H. Balsley (1823-1895), American master carpenter and inventor who invented and patented the folding wooden stepladder
- Darren Balsley (b. 1964), American pitching coach for the Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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Balsley migration to the United States 
