The name Barnessley reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Barnessley family lived in Worcestershire and Yorkshire, where they held an ancient seat and estates.
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Early Origins of the Barnessley family
The surname Barnessley was first found in Gloucestershire and South Yorkshire at Barnsley. Of the locales, the town in Yorkshire is by far the larger originating in the historic West Riding of Yorkshire. This town dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Berneslai. However, the Gloucestershire parish which was originally part of historic Lancashire dates back further to 802 when it was listed as Bearmodeslea. It too was listed in the Domesday Book but had a different spelling of Bernesleis. Both locales were derived from the Old English personal name + "leah" and literally meant "woodland clearing of a man called Beornmod (Beorn)." 1 The family is conjecturally descended from a Norman noble Ilbert de Lacy who settled in the village of Barnsley in the West Riding of Yorkshire at the time of the Norman Conquest. Ilbert was Lord of the Manor of Barnsley.
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Early History of the Barnessley family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Barnessley research. Another 49 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1550 is included under the topic Early Barnessley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Barnessley Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Barnessley family name include Barnsley, Barnsely, Barnseley, Barnsly and others.
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Early Notables of the Barnessley family
More information is included under the topic Early Barnessley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Barnessley family
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Barnessley family to immigrate North America: Richard Barnssley and his wife who settled in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766.
England
