In ancient Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Cleveley surname lived in the region of Clevely in the parish of Church Enstone, inside the county of Oxford.
The surname Cleveley was first found in Oxfordshire, where they held a family seat from ancient times.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cleveley research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1611, 1786, and 1787 are included under the topic Early Cleveley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Cleveley 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 Cleveley include: Cleveley, Clevly, Cleverly, Clyveleye, Clevelley and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Cleveley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Cleveley or a variant listed above: James Cleverly who arrived in Philadelphia in 1880.