STAVELEY
Staveley is a surname of English origin that traces its roots to the early medieval period. The name is locational, deriving from the Old English words stæf, meaning “staff, stave or boundary marker,” and leah, meaning “woodland, clearing or pasture.” Consequently, the surname translates roughly to “the wooded clearing marked by posts” or, alternatively, “the area where staves were produced or used.”
The place name that gave rise to the surname is preserved in two villages within northern England: Staveley in Yorkshire and Staveley in Derbyshire. Both settlements are recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, where they appear as Stavelia or Stavelie—a reflection of Norman French spelling employed by contemporary clerics and scribes. The earliest secure evidence of the family name itself is found in the 1273 King’s Rolls, a nationwide listing of landowners conducted in the first year of King Edward I’s reign. In that document, individuals such as Adam de Stavelia of Cumberland and Thomas de Stavell of Nottingham are mentioned.
The name’s presence in the late 13th and early 14th centuries is further corroborated by figures such as Richard de Stavely, recorded in 1273, and Elizabeth de Stavenleia, cited in the Yorkshire Fine Rolls of 1296. The surname continued to appear in legal and administrative records throughout the Middle Ages, signalling a growing number of families who carried the name into the modern era.
Several members of the Staveley family have achieved distinction in British history. The 17th‑century barrister and author Thomas Staveley (1624–1684) was renowned during the Cromwellian period. In the military sphere, General Myles Staveley, a Yorkshire landowner associated with Sleningford Old Hall, passed away in 1722 and was granted a coat of arms. The 19th century saw General William Staveley (1784–1854) distinguish himself at the Battle of Waterloo, where he was honoured with a service record that included communication with Field Marshal Blucher. These individuals illustrate the surname’s long-standing association with public service and command.
The heraldic achievement granted to the Staveley family is described as per pale embattled, red and silver, on a chevron engrailed between three mascles, two bucks’ heads, all counterchanged. This blazon conveys the family's martial heritage and symbolic link to nature through the deer heads.
In contemporary times the surname remains most frequently found in the United Kingdom, particularly within the northern counties of Lancashire, Northumberland, Cumberland and Westmorland, with notable populations also in Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Shropshire. The name appears less commonly in Scotland—where it was historically recorded in Lanarkshire during the 19th century—and is quite rare in the United States and other countries outside the British Isles.
Variations of the surname include Staveleigh, Stavelegh, Stavely, Stavelie, Stavelee, Standley and Stanly. These alternatives arise from differences in spelling conventions over the centuries and from the transmission of the name in non‑English contexts. Despite the diversity in spelling, all these forms share the same locational origin linked to the ancient villages named Staveley.
Today, many descendants of the original Staveley families remain in the northern parts of England, continuing to observe the name’s heritage and contribute to local history. Genealogical records and archival material preserve the lineage, ensuring that the surname’s historical significance is recognised and studied by future generations.
Typical given names associated with the Staveley surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Edward
- James
- John
- Kyle
- Mark
- Michael
- Nicholas
- Paul
- Richard
- Robert
- Simon
Female
- Alison
- Elizabeth
- Emma
- Joanne
- Julia
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Mavis
- 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 Staveley in...
Braille
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Morse
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Semaphore
There are approximately 1,344 people named Staveley in the UK. That makes it roughly the 5,849th most common surname in Britain. Around 21 in a million people in Britain are named Staveley.
Famous people named Staveley
- Amanda Staveley - Businessman
- Miles Staveley - Cricketer
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.