Hunsly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Anglo-Saxon name Hunsly comes from when the family resided in the settlements of High Hunsley and Low Hunsley in the East Riding of Yorkshire. 1 The surname Hunsly belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Hunsly family

The surname Hunsly was first found in Yorkshire, at High Hunsley, a small hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The village dates back to the Domesday Book 2 where it was recorded as Hund(r)eslege and meant "woodland clearing of a man called Hund" 3 "This place appears to have been anciently of more importance than it is at present, many foundations of buildings having been dug up at various times. Upon a hill here, was a beacon that gave name to the largest division of the wapentake." 4

Early History of the Hunsly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hunsly research. Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hunsly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hunsly Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Hunsly has been recorded under many different variations, including Hunsley, Hunsly, Hunley, Hunly, Hundsley, Hundsly and others.

Early Notables of the Hunsly family

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

Migration of the Hunsly family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Hunsly or a variant listed above: William Hunsley, who sailed to America in 1753.

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)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.