Mawdsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Mawdsley family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living in the settlement of Mawdesley in the county of Lancashire. 1 2 The surname Mawdsley 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 Mawdsley family

The surname Mawdsley was first found in Lancashire at Mawdesley, a township, in the parish of Croston, union of Chorley, hundred of Leyland. "Adam de Mawdesley was a ward of the duchy of Lancaster in the reign of Edward III.; Robert Mawdesley, the last of this ancient family, was living at Mawdesley Hall about 1760. " 3

"The Mawdesleys of Mawdesley possessed the demesnes of Mawdesley from the 12th to the 17th century (B.), and the name still occurs there." 4 Thomas de Maudesley was listed in the Lancashire Fines of 1398. 5

William de Maudesley was listed in the Assize Rolls for Lancashire in 1401 and Robert Mawdesley was listed as a Freeman or York in 1476. 6

Early History of the Mawdsley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mawdsley research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mawdsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mawdsley 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 Mawdsley include Mawdesley, Maudesley, Maudsley and others.

Early Notables of the Mawdsley family

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

Mawdsley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mawdsley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Mawdsley, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 24th March 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Mawdsley (post 1700) +

Richard Mawdsley (b. 1945), American artist known for his work in metalsmithing
Robert mawdsley (b. 1952), English professional footballer
James Mawdsley (1848-1902), English trade unionist and Conservative Party candidate
James Mawdsley, British human rights activist campaigning for democracy in Burma

Citations +

Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 13th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant