Townley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Ireland 


The Townley name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the settlement of Towneley in the county of Lancashire, or by any clearing in which a farm was situated. The surname Townley 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.

Early Origins of the Townley family

The surname Townley 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

Early History of the Townley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Townley 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 Townley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Townley Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Townley has undergone many spelling variations, including Townley, Towneley and others.

Early Notables of the Townley family

Notables of the family at this time include

Townley Ranking

In the United States, the name Townley is the 7,507th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Townley family to Ireland

Some of the Townley 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.


Townley migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Townley were among those contributors:

Townley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Townley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Townley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Townley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Townley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Townley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Townley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Townley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Townley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Townley (post 1700) +


The Townley 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: Tenez le vraye
Motto Translation: Keep or speak the truth.
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