The roots of the Anglo-Saxon name Maudsley come from when the family resided in the settlement of Mawdesley in the county of Lancashire. The surname Maudsley belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.
The surname Maudsley was first found in Lancashire at Mawdesley, a township, in the parish of Croston, union of Chorley, hundred of Leyland. "Adam de Mawdesley was a ward of the duchy of Lancaster in the reign of Edward III.; Robert Mawdesley, the last of this ancient family, was living at Mawdesley Hall about 1760. " [1]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maudsley research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Maudsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Maudsley has been recorded under many different variations, including Mawdesley, Maudesley, Maudsley and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Maudsley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Maudsley or a variant listed above: