Show ContentsMaddeley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Maddeley family

The surname Maddeley was first found in Greater Manchester at Matley, a township, in the parish of Mottramin-Longdendale, union of Ashton, hundred of Macclesfield, formerly in the county of Chester. Relumnd de Madeleia was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Cheshire in 1212 and later, Hugh de Maddelee was listed at Husting in 1318. Thomas de Maddeleye was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1332. [1]

William de Mattelegh, Hugh de Mattelegh and Richard de Mattlegh were all listed in Cheshire in 1316, 1316 and 1300. [2] In 1325, William held the estates in the parish of Mottram.

Madeley Old Manor, originally known as Madeley Castle in the 14th century, was a medieval fortified manor house in the parish of Madeley, Staffordshire. It is now a ruin, with only fragments of its walls remaining. Madeley Old Hall, built in the late 1500's is an Elizabethan house, now a small hotel, in the village of Madeley in Staffordshire, England. Madley is a village and civil parish in the English county of Herefordshire.

Madeley in Staffordshire dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Madanlieg in 975, later to be recorded as Madellie in the Domesday Book of 1086. [3] Madeley-Market in Shropshire similarly dates back to the Domesday and was recorded at that time as Madelie. [4] "The name of this town indicates its situation between two rivers, and the adjunct arose from the grant of a market here, in the time of Henry III., to a community of Cluniac monks at Wenlock, to whom Madeley belonged. " [5]

The name Madeley literally means "woodland clearing of a man called 'Mada,' from the Old English personal name + "leah." [4]

Early History of the Maddeley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maddeley research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Maddeley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maddeley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Matley, Matlee, Matlie, Matleigh, Matlea, Madley, Maddely, Maddelly and many more.

Early Notables of the Maddeley family

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


New Zealand Maddeley 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:

Maddeley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Maddeley, British settler travelling from Plymouth aboard the ship "Roman Emperor" arriving in Lyttlelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1863 [6]


  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  5. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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