Show ContentsHuntleigh History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Huntleigh Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Huntleigh

What does the name Huntleigh mean?

The ancestry of the name Huntleigh dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the settlement of Huntley in Gloucestershire. The surname Huntleigh belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The name Huntleigh was also given to people who dwelled by "the hunter's wood." 1

Early Origins of the Huntleigh family

The surname Huntleigh was first found in Monmouthshire where they claim descent from William Fitz-Baderon who held the barony of Monmouth including 22 lordships at the time of the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 3

Huntley is a parish, in the union of Westbury, duchy of Lancaster in Gloucestershire and a small hamlet in the parish and union of Cheadle, in the hundred of Totmonslow in Staffordshire. 4 The Gloucestershire parish dates back to the Domesday Book where it was listed as Huntelei. The parish and hamlet literally mean "huntsman's wood or clearing," having derived from the Old English "hunta" + "leah." 5

To the far north in Scotland, the family claim descent "from the ancient hamlet of Huntlie in Berwickshire, now extinct. Robert de Hunteleghe of the county of Roxberghe rendered homage [to King Edward I of England] in 1296. The name Huntly in Aberdeenshire was borrowed from Huntlie in Berwickshire, the old barony of Gordon, including Huntlie, being owned by the earls of Huntly down to 1638." 6

Today Huntly is a burgh of barony and a parish, in the district of Strathbogie, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. "This place, including the united parishes of Dumbennan and Kinoir, anciently formed part of the ample possessions of the powerful family of the Cumyns, of whose baronial seat, Strathbogie Castle, there are still considerable remains. The castle was almost destroyed after the battle of Glenlivet, in 1594, but was restored, with considerable additions, by the first Marquess of Huntly, in 1602, and, under the name of Huntly Castle. The town, which derives its name from its founders, the family of Gordon. " 7

Early History of the Huntleigh family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Huntleigh research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1200 and 1296 are included under the topic Early Huntleigh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Huntleigh Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Huntleigh have been found, including Huntley, Huntly, Huntlie, Huntleigh and others.

Early Notables of the Huntleigh family

More information is included under the topic Early Huntleigh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Huntleigh family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Huntleigh, or a variant listed above: Edward Huntley settled in Virginia in 1651; John Huntley settled in Virginia in 1655; Margaret Huntley settled in Virginia in 1634; Hannah Huntly settled in Virginia in 1654.
  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  4. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  5. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  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)
  7. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.

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