Hardely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The ancestors of the name Hardely date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the village of Hartley which was in several English counties including Berkshire, Devon, Dorset, Kent, Lancashire, York and Northumberland. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English words hart which means a stag and lea which means a wood or clearing. 1

Of all these places, Hartley in Kent in the oldest as it dates back to Saxon times when it was known as Heoratleag in 843. 2 Another source claims this parish dates back further as "Heortleáh in the 8th century." 3

Early Origins of the Hardely family

The surname Hardely was first found in Yorkshire where "Hartley is a very common West Riding name. It is also established in Lancashire. There are hamlets and townships of the name in the West Riding, Westmorland, Northumberland." 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Ricardus de Hertlay; and Willelmus de Hertelay. They "lived in the parish of Ecclesfield, West Riding of Yorkshire The surname has ramified in an extraordinary manner in the West Riding. The parentage in all probability will have to be sought for in Ecclesfield parish or the immediate neighbourhood." 5

But before these entries, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Brian de Hertheley, Lincolnshire; and Richard de Hertleye, Salop (Shropshire.) 5

Up to the north in Scotland, the name is from "Hartley (Hartecla 1265, Hartcla 1291, Hartla 1306) a manor in the parish of Kirkby-Stephen, Westmorland. Michael de Hardcla or Hartcla was deputy sheriff of Westmorland in 1276 and 1277, and Sheriff of Cumberland in part of the year 1285 and then until 1298. On the execution of his brother Andrew de Hardcla, earl of Carlisle, for treason, he fled into Scotland with a number of his friends." 6

Early History of the Hardely family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hardely research. Another 143 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1191, 1273, 1327, 1379, 1621, 1623, 1691, 1695, 1698, 1705, 1709, 1720, 1757 and 1784 are included under the topic Early Hardely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hardely Spelling Variations

Hardely has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Hardely have been found, including Hartley, Hartly, Hartlay, Hartlaye, Hartlie, Hertley, Hertly, Hertlay, Hertelay, Hertheley, Hertleye, Hertlegh, Hartleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Hardely family

Notables of this surname at this time include: David Hartley (1705-1757), English philosopher, "baptised at Luddenden, Halifax, on 21 June 1705, although his son gives this date of his birth as 30 Aug. 1705. His father, David Hartley, was entered as a servitor of Lincoln College, Oxford, on 1 April 1691, aged 17, where he was described as 'pauperis filius,'...
Another 59 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hardely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hardely family to Ireland

Some of the Hardely family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Hardely family

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Hardelys to arrive on North American shores: William Hartley, who settled in Virginia in 1623; Jeremy Hartley, aged 30; and Christopher Hartlie, aged 19; who settled in Barbados in 1635; Thomas Hartley, who settled in Virginia in 1642.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)