Hamersley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Hamersley is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived in the village of Hammersley, in the county of Staffordshire. The surname Hamersley was originally derived from the Old English word hamm, which means flat, low-lying land and the Old English word ley, which refers to a wood clearing or grove.

Early Origins of the Hamersley family

The surname Hamersley was first found in Staffordshire at Hammersley, "a locality probably to be found in Staffordshire." 1 We can find no record of this village today, but there is no doubt some or all of the family came from Staffordshire. By example, the Register of the University of Oxford list Walter Hamersley, in 1610 and William Hamersly in 1617 as both being from Staffordshire 1 Evidence of the family was also found at Kencott in Oxfordshire. It was here that "the family of Hammersley: the tithes were commuted for land and a money payment in 1767." 2

Early History of the Hamersley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hamersley research. Another 77 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1687 and 1801 are included under the topic Early Hamersley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hamersley Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Hamersley has been spelled many different ways, including Hammersley, Hammersly and others.

Early Notables of the Hamersley family

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

Hamersley 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:

Hamersley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Hamersley, South African settler travelling from Cape Town aboard the ship "Eveline" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 22nd January 1865 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Hamersley (post 1700) +

Gordon Hamersley, award winning American chef and author, owner of the acclaimed Hamersley’s Bistro in Boston
William James Hamersley, American Democratic Party politician, Mayor of Hartford, Connecticut, 1853-54, 1862-64; Defeated, 1864, 1876 (Citizens); Postmaster at Hartford, Connecticut, 1853-61 4
William J. Hamersley, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut State House of Representatives from Hartford; Elected 1916 4
Vernon Hamersley (1871-1946), who served the longest term ever as a Member of the Western Australian Legislative Council
Edward Hamersley (1835-1921), Western Australian pastoralist
Edward Hamersley (1810-1874), English born Australian settler in colonial Western Australia, he became a successful pastoralist, and a member of the Western Australian Legislative Council, eponym of the Hamersley Range

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 6) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html