Show ContentsMadley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Madley

What does the name Madley mean?

The distinguished surname Madley is derived from the Hebrew "Magdalen," meaning "woman of Magdala." This name was also used, fairly infrequently, as a Christian name during the 13th century.

Early Origins of the Madley family

The surname Madley was first found in Oxfordshire, where the Madley family was anciently seated as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066; the language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. However, many Saxon surnames survived, and the family name Madley was first referenced in the 13th century, when the Madley family held estates in Oxfordshire.

Early History of the Madley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Madley research. Another 104 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1273 and 1368 are included under the topic Early Madley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Madley Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Madley has undergone many spelling variations, including Maudlin, Maudling, Madeline, Magdelin, Madolin, Magdelyn, Magdeleine and many more.

Early Notables of the Madley family

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

Migration of the Madley family to Ireland

Some of the Madley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Madley migration to the United States +

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Madley were among those contributors:

Madley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Margaret Madley, who arrived in Virginia in 1722 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Madley (post 1700) +

  • Andrew Madley (b. 1983), English football referee
  • Robert "Bobby" Madley (b. 1985), English professional football referee, brother of Andrew Madley


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook