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![Show Contents]() Purseley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The name Purseley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in Purslow, in Shropshire. The place-name is derived from the Old English personal name Pussa and the Old English word hlaw. A hlaw is a burial mound; in Modern English the word for a burial mound is tumulus, which is derived from Latin. The place-name as a whole means "burial mound of a man named Pussa." Early Origins of the Purseley familyThe surname Purseley was first found in Shropshire at Purslow, a hamlet that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Possalau. The place name is derived from the Old English words personal name + hlaw, and literally means "tumulus (mound of earth and stones) of a man called Pussa." 1 Of interest is a certain Robert Parslow. " It is traditionally said that a military chest of money was left at the house of Robert Parslow, in the town [of Watlington in Oxfordshire], and never afterwards claimed, in consequence of which he bequeathed a liberal donation to the poor of the parish." 2 Early History of the Purseley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Purseley research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1533, 1558, 1559, 1563 and 1579 are included under the topic Early Purseley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Purseley Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Purseley are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Purseley include: Purslow, Purseglove, Purselove, Pursley, Pursly and others. Early Notables of the Purseley familyAnother 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Purseley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Purseley familyMany English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Purseley or a variant listed above: James Pursley settled in Barbados in 1679; David, George, Robert and William Pursley all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870; John Purslow (Purslone) arrived in Philadelphia in 1677.
- 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.
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