| ![Show Contents]() Bisley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of BisleyWhat does the name Bisley mean? The surname Bisley is derived from the large village named Bisley in Surrey. The village's name was first recorded in the 10th century as 'Busseleghe' when it was derived from the old English words 'Bysc', meaning bushes, and 'Leah', a clearing. In more modern terms, the name means 'clearing where bushes grow.' Bisley is also a village in Gloucestershire, but this latter village was established after the Surrey local. Finally, Bisley is also a game of solitaire we cannot determine if the surname is related. Early Origins of the Bisley familyThe surname Bisley was first found in Berkshire, where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Leofric of Abingdon who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Bisley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bisley research. Another 114 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1483, 1510 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Bisley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bisley Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Bisley, Bisley, Bissley, Bysley and others. Early Notables of the Bisley family- the Bisley family of Berkshire
| Bisley migration to the United States | + |
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Bisley or a variant listed above:
Bisley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Wm. Bisley, who settled in Virginia in 1618
- William Bisley, who arrived in Virginia in 1618 2
- Franc Bisley, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 2
- Francis Bisley, who landed in Virginia in 1637 2
Bisley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Alexander Bisley, who arrived in New York in 1714
| Contemporary Notables of the name Bisley (post 1700) | + |
- Steve Bisley (b. 1951), Australian film actor
- Simon Bisley (b. 1962), British comic book artist
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
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