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The name Townelay first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the settlement of Towneley in the county of Lancashire, or by any clearing in which a farm was situated. The surname Townelay thus belongs to both the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads, and class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.
The surname Townelay was first found in Lancashire where they were descended from Spartlingus, the first Dean of Whalley about 896 A.D. Descended was Liwlphus, Cudwlphus, Henricus the great Baron of Whalley. He was followed by Robertus, Geoffrey who married the daughter of Roger de Lacy, Constable of Cheshire in 1193.
"An estate in Lancashire, which belonged to this ancient and distinguished family, whose pedigree is said to be traced to the time of King Alfred, and to Spartlingus, first Dean of Whalley, who flourished about the year 896. The line of this personage terminated with an heiress, Cecilia of Towneley, in the XIV. century, who married John del Legh, and conveyed the estate to his family. He died in or about 1330, and his great-grandson resumed the ancient surname of Towneley. John del Legh was a cadet of the great Cheshire family of that name. Towneley Hall is still the seat of this race, who may well challenge comparison in point of venerable antiquity with any family in England." 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Townelay research. Another 120 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1375, 1376, 1377, 1531, 1600, 1604, 1629, 1644, 1674, 1683, 1686, 1692, 1697, 1707, 1711, 1737, 1760 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Townelay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Townelay has appeared include Townley, Towneley and others.
Notables of the family at this time include Charles Towneley (1600-1644); and his son, Richard Towneley (1629-1707), an English mathematician and astronomer from Towneley near Burnley, Lancashire who first postulated a theory that Robert Boyle later publish as Boyle's Law, but Boyle referred to as Mr Towneley's hypothesis.
Christopher Towneley (1604-1674), was an English antiquary, called 'the...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Townelay 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.
At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Townelay arrived in North America very early: Henry and Margaret Townley settled in Maryland in 1721; Mary Townley settled in New England in 1756; Patrick and William Townley arrived in Philadelphia in 1834..