Show ContentsFoxley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Foxley family

The surname Foxley 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 Foxley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Foxley 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 Foxley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Foxley 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 Foxley family name include Foxley, Foxleigh, Foxly, Focksley, Foksley, Foxlie, Foxlee, Foxlea, Folksley, Foxele, Foxeley and many more.

Early Notables of the Foxley family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Sir John Foxley of Foxley


United States Foxley migration to the United States +

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 Foxley family to immigrate North America:

Foxley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mary Foxley, who settled in Maryland in 1660
Foxley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • William Foxley, an emigrant in bondage who arrived in Maryland in 1736
Foxley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Foxley, who settled in Philadelphia in 1817

Australia Foxley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Foxley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Lydia Foxley, English convict from Warwick, who was transported aboard the "America" on December 30, 1830, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia [2]

Contemporary Notables of the name Foxley (post 1700) +

  • Raymond Geoffrey "Ray" Foxley (1928-2002), British jazz pianist from London
  • Air Chief Marshal Sir Christopher Neil Foxley -Norris GCB, DSO, OBE, FRSA (1917-2003), British senior commander in the Royal Air Force (RAF)
  • Gordon Foxley, British Director of Ammunition Procurement at the Ministry of Defence from 1981 to 1984
  • Alejandro Foxley Rioseco (b. 1939), Chilean economist and politician, Foreign Minister of Chile from 2006 to 2009

SS Atlantic
  • Mr. John Foxley, British crew member who was aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, survived the sinking


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 26) America voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1830 with 135 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/america/1830


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