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![Show Contents]() Foxlee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Early Origins of the Foxlee familyThe surname Foxlee was first found in Northampton, Norfolk and Wiltshire. Foxley is a village and civil parish in Norfolk that dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Foxle, having derived from the Old English words fox + leah and literally meant "woodland clearing frequented by foxes." 1 Foxley was held by the Count or Mortain, who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Foxley Wood is a nature reserve that is close by and is the largest ancient woodland and coppice in Norfolk. Foxley is also located in Wiltshire and in this latter case, it was listed as Foxelege in the Domesday Book. Early History of the Foxlee familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foxlee research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1094, 1138, 1171, 1184, 1187, 1188, 1225, 1306, 1510, 1553 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Foxlee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Foxlee Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Foxley, Foxleigh, Foxly, Focksley, Foksley, Foxlie, Foxlee, Foxlea, Folksley, Foxele, Foxeley and many more. Early Notables of the Foxlee familyMore information is included under the topic Early Foxlee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Foxlee familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Foxlee or a variant listed above: Mary Foxley, who settled in Maryland in 1660; William Foxley, an emigrant in bondage who arrived in Maryland in 1736; and John Foxley, who came to Philadelphia in 1817..
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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