SMEDLEY
Smedley is an English surname of both occupational and locational origin, reflecting the deep linguistic and social history of the British Isles.
Its occupational root derives from the Old English word smed, meaning a blacksmith. Thus the name signified an ancestor who practised the craft of metalworking, an occupation highly esteemed and in demand in medieval England.
In addition, Smedley is a locational surname. It is associated with a now lost settlement that was probably situated in the county of Derbyshire, though some scholars place it in Yorkshire. Historical sources, notably Canon Charles Bardsley, refer to the village as Smythley or a similar variant. The place-name is made up of the Old English elements smid – smith – and leah – a fenced enclosure or farm, thus meaning ‘Smith’s farm.’
The earliest extant records of the surname appear in the Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire for the year 1379. The entries list Willelmus de Smthlay and his wife, Margota de Smythlay. These names date to the reign of King Richard II, who ruled England from 1377 to 1399.
A later documented appearance occurs in London in 1693, when a certain Thomas Smedley is recorded as a witness at St James church, Clerkenwell. By this time the surname had become established enough to be noted in civil and ecclesiastical records.
While the name is recorded throughout England, it has been most frequently documented in Derbyshire, suggesting that the original family line remained concentrated in that region. In the second half of the 19th century, significant numbers of people bearing the surname emigrated to the United States, particularly to Philadelphia, and this has made the city the modern centre of the global population bearing the name.
Families carrying the Smedley surname have traditionally been Christian and have used English as their primary language. The surname remains a distinctive marker of English heritage, linking modern bearers to medieval smith families and to a vanished rural settlement whose name survives only in the family name itself.
Typical given names associated with the Smedley surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Mark
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Amanda
- Barbara
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Joanne
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Smedley in...
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There are approximately 4,521 people named Smedley in the UK. That makes it roughly the 2,073rd most common surname in Britain. Around 69 in a million people in Britain are named Smedley.
Surname type: Location or geographical feature
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Smedley
- Nikky Smedley - Actress
- Rob Smedley - Motor racing engineer
- Oliver Smedley - Businessman and politician (1911 to 1989)
- Mike Smedley - Cricketer
- Ray Smedley - Middle- and long-distance runner
- Constance Smedley - Author and founder of the International Lyceum Clubs (1876 to 1941)
- Carrington Smedley - Australian politician (1808 to 1895)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.