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The name Stavely has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived 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 Stavely belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Stavely 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
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stavely research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1498, 1613, 1626 and 1678 are included under the topic Early Stavely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Stavely have been found, including Staveley, Stavely, Staley, Stayley, Staveleigh and many more.
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 Stavely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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.
Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Stavely, or a variant listed above:
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: