Stepheley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Anglo-Saxon name Stepheley comes from when the family resided 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 Stepheley 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 Stepheley family

The surname Stepheley 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 Stepheley family

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

Stepheley 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. Stepheley has been recorded under many different variations, including Staveley, Stavely, Staley, Stayley, Staveleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Stepheley 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. William Stayley or Staley (died 1678), was a victim of the 'Popish Plot,' was the son of William Staley, and carried on his father's business as goldsmith and banker in Covent Garden. In September 1678, he was accused of high treason, but was offered to suppress the charge in consideration of the sum of 200 shillings. "The banker laughed at the insolence of the...
Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stepheley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Stepheley family to Ireland

Some of the Stepheley 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.

Migration of the Stepheley 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 Stepheley or a variant listed above: Elizabeth Staveley landed in America in 1760; John Stavelie settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 1834; Edward Stavely settled in New Castle Del. in 1839.

The Stepheley 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.