Show ContentsAdley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Adley surname lived in the village of Adderley in Shropshire 1; the village was known as "Eldredelei" in the Domesday Book and was held by Nigel the Doctor. 2

One source notes a Norman connection to the family: "The name was derived from Doussainville, between Paris and Orleans. This family of De Dunstanville continued barons of Adderley in 1255. Henry de Adderley, a younger son, occurs in Staffordshire, 13th century 3, and 1310 Robert de Adderle is mentioned 4. The usage of those ages restricted the name of the barony to the family of its lords." 5

Early Origins of the Adley family

The surname Adley was first found in Shropshire at Adderley, a village and civil parish that literally means "woodland clearing of a woman called Athryth," from the Old English personal name + "leah." 6

Early History of the Adley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adley research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1637 is included under the topic Early Adley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adley Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Adley 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. The variations of the name Adley include: Adderley, Adderly, Addly, Adley, Aderly, Atherly, Atherley, Hadderley and many more.

Early Notables of the Adley family

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


United States Adley migration to the United States +

Many 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 Adley or a variant listed above:

Adley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Edmond Adley, who arrived in Long Island in 1646 7
  • Hugh Adley, who arrived in Maryland in 1674 7
Adley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edward Adley, who landed in North Carolina in 1733 7
Adley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Cornelius Adley, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1844 7
  • Annie Adley, aged 17, who landed in America from Roundstone, in 1899
Adley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Eliza Adley, aged 36, who settled in America from Plumstead, in 1904
  • Minnie Adley, aged 10, who immigrated to the United States from Plumstead, in 1904
  • William Alfred Adley, aged 49, who landed in America from London, in 1906
  • Dennis White Adley, aged 19, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1920

Contemporary Notables of the name Adley (post 1700) +

  • Hogan Gladden Adley, American Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army
  • Carlos "Big Daddy Carlos" Adley (b. 1968), American nightclub and restaurant owner
  • Robert Adley (b. 1947), American politician, Louisiana State Senator
  • Warren Adley, American politician, Member of Minnesota State House of Representatives 39th District, 1873 8
  • Robert Adley (1935-1993), British politician
  • Adley Hogan Gladden, Brigadier General in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War
  • Adley C. McCune, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State House of Representatives from Fayette County, 1901-02 9


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  4. Palgrave, Sir Francis F.R.S., F.S.A. History of the Anglo-Saxons. London: William Tegg, 1871, Print.
  5. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  6. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  7. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 15) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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