Staveley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Staveley date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in one of the various places called Staveley in the counties of Derbyshire, Lancashire, and Westmorland, and in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Staveley 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 Staveley family

The surname Staveley was first found in Derbyshire at Staveley, a town within the borough of Chesterfield which literally means "wood or clearing where staves are got" from the Old English "staef" + "leah." 1 The town was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Stavelie. 2

Staveley is also a village and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire and this village also dates back to the Domesday Book where it is listed as Stanlei. These are the oldest references to the place name but there are others scattered throughout England.

Some of the family held a family seat at Stalybridge in Cheshire. "The name of Staly, originally Staveleigh, is derived from an ancient family who, in the reign of Edward III., occupied Stayley Hall, a portion of which mansion still remains; the addition arises from a bridge over the Tame, that connects the two counties, and which has been rebuilt." 3

Early History of the Staveley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Staveley research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1498, 1613, 1626 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Staveley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Staveley Spelling Variations

Staveley has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Staveley have been found, including Staveley, Stavely, Staley, Stayley, Staveleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Staveley family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Thomas Staveley, High Sheriff of Leicestershire in 1613; and Thomas Staveley (born 1626), antiquary and church historian of East Langton Leicestershire

Migration of the Staveley family to Ireland

Some of the Staveley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Staveley migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Staveleys to arrive on North American shores:

Staveley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Elizabeth Staveley, who landed in America in 1760

Staveley 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:

Staveley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Ann Staveley, (b. 1839), aged 28, British cook travelling from London aboard the ship 'Mermaid' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 3rd January 1868 4
Mr. Staveley, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Hydaspes" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th September 1869 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Staveley (post 1700) +

Steve Staveley, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Anaheim, California, 2002
General Sir Charles William Dunbar Staveley GCB (1817-1896), British Army officer, born at Boulogne, eldest son of Lieutenant-general William Staveley
Lieutenant-General William Staveley (1784-1854), British Army officer and Lieutenant Governor of Hong Kong from 1848-1851
Jane Staveley, Senior Research Associate with the Jacob France Institute at the University of Baltimore

The Staveley Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fidelis ad urnam
Motto Translation: Faithful to the tomb.

Citations +

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