Arkley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Arkley surname finds its earliest origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name is derived from the given name Arkley, which is a derivative of the Old Norse name Arnketill.

One of the most famous of the family in early years was Andrew Harclay, Harcla or Hartcla (d. 1323), the son of Michael de Harclay, Sheriff of Cumberland between 1285 and 1298. "In 1303-4 Andrew fought with Edward I in Scotland, and again served in the earlier wars of Edward II against the Scots. In October 1309 he was made Captain in the West Marches, and ordered to repair to his domains to defend the north against the Scots. Between 1312 and 1315 he was Sheriff of Cumberland, but in his last year of office he discharged his duties by attorney. In 1312 he was knight of the shire for Cumberland. " 1

Early Origins of the Arkley family

The surname Arkley was first found in Northumberland, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Arkley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Arkley research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1256, 1273, 1331, 1379, 1385, 1415, 1455, 1595, 1676, 1688 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Arkley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arkley 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 Arkley 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 Arkley include: Arkley, Arkly, Arketel, Arkill, Arkell, Arkoll, Arkel, Arkle, Arcle, Arklay and many more.

Early Notables of the Arkley family

Distinguished members of the family include Maria van Arkel (c. 1385-1415), the only daughter and heiress of Lord John V of Arkel and Joanna of Jülich, inherited the title to Gelderland from her maternal...
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Arkley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Arkley migration to Canada +

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 Arkley or a variant listed above:

Arkley Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Joseph Arkley, who was living in Carleton County, Ontario in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Arkley (post 1700) +

Mrs. Linda Arkley O.B.E. (1952-2023), British Conservative Politician, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for political service in the North East of England 2
Nathan Arkley (1994-2012), Australian bronze medalist Paralympic athlete at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Howard Arkley (1951-1999), Australian artist from Melbourne
Arkley W. Frieze (b. 1914), American Republican politician, Member of Missouri State Senate 32nd District, 1951-52 3

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 30) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html