Whiteleigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Whiteleigh was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Whiteleigh family lived in Devon, in the township of Whitleigh. Today Whiteley Bank, also spelled "Whitely Bank", is a small hamlet on the Isle of Wight, England and Whiteley is a community in the county of Hampshire founded in the 1980s.

Early Origins of the Whiteleigh family

The surname Whiteleigh was first found in Devon where they held a family seat from 1066, and Robert d'Aumale held the village of Whitleigh from Bishop Odo. The village is now a part of the city of Plymouth, and conjectural descent from Robert is most likely.

Early History of the Whiteleigh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whiteleigh research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1340, 1618, 1638, 1660, 1681, 1685, 1689, 1690 and 1697 are included under the topic Early Whiteleigh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Whiteleigh Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Whitley, Whiteley, Whitleigh, Whytleigh, Whyteleigh, Wytley, Whitlie and many more.

Early Notables of the Whiteleigh family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Whiteleigh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Whiteleigh family to Ireland

Some of the Whiteleigh family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 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 Whiteleigh family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Whiteleigh or a variant listed above: Mitchell Whitley, who settled in Virginia in 1635; Richard Whitley, who settled in Virginia in 1646; Thomas Whitley, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1682.