Surname Yeardsley - Meaning and Origin
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Yeardsley: What does the surname Yeardsley mean?
The last name Yeardsley is of English origin and is derived from the location of Earlsley, which is a place in southern England. The name likely originated from the Old English words "eafor," meaning a wild boar, and "les," which is a clearing in the woods.
In other words, "Yeardsley" literally translates to “Clearings full of Wild Boars”. This could be a reference to the hunting grounds of medieval England, where wild boars were commonly hunted to supply meat to the local villages and homes.
Historically, the Yeardsley name was not very widespread and primarily appeared in the counties of Warwickshire and Oxfordshire. In addition to being a surname, the Yeardsley name can also be found in historical documents as a toponym or place name.
The name Yeardsley can now be found all over the world, as individuals with this surname have been known to settle in various parts of the globe. In modern times, the Yeardsley surname is associated with anyone whose ancestors hailed from Earlsley during the medieval era. The original English spelling of the Yeardsley name has been retained and can still be seen in today's world.
Order DNA origin analysisYeardsley: Where does the name Yeardsley come from?
The last name Yeardsley is commonly found today within the United Kingdom. During the 1800s and early 1900s, Yeardsley was one of the most common surnames throughout England, Scotland, and Wales. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon words for "weard" and "leah," which means a guarded clearing or meadow; in reference to a family who lived within such an area.
In the 1881 Census of England and Wales, Yeardsley was found in high numbers within the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, and Derbyshire. By 1915, as more people were moving around the country and even overseas, the surname had spread throughout almost all of the UK.
Today, Yeardsley is still one of the most commonly surnamesin the UK; albeit at much lower numbers than it was during the earlier centuries. A search on the website popularnames.org lists three current members of Parliament that have the name Yeardsley. It can also be found in both England and Scotland in the White Pages directories. Additionally, a search on familysearch.org lists over 15,000 individuals with the Yeardsley surname across the UK.
Variations of the surname Yeardsley
Yeardsley is a surname of English origin. It is derived from the Old English words ‘geard’, meaning yard, and ‘leah’, which means wood or clearing. It was first found in Warwickshire, where many of the family held a family seat since ancient times.
The surname Yeardsley is spelt in a variety of ways, including Yardley, Yeardly, Yerdley and Yardly. It is also known as Yardsley, Yerdlesey, Yerdleigh, Yerdlley, Yeardleigh, Yerdesley, Yerdlys, Yardeley, Yerdesly, Yardlesley and Yerdesleigh.
One variant of the surname is Yeardsley-Price. This variant is derived from the village of Price, which is situated in Herefordshire and was once known as Price-yeardsley, as many of its inhabitants originated from the Yeardsley family.
There are also surnames derived from the same source, such as Yeardley, Yeardsmith and Yarwoods. These are all examples of locational surnames, indicating an origin in a particular locality, usually near where the original bearer was born, lived or worked.
The Yeardsley surname is also found in other countries, such as the United States and Canada. In these countries, the surname has been modified to become ‘Yardley’ or ‘Yardlow’. Other variations of the surname are Yerdlow, Yardow and Yarder.
Overall, the variations of the Yeardsley surname offer a deep and complex history of its origin and usage in a variety of countries over many centuries.
Famous people with the name Yeardsley
- Emma Yeardsley: British actress who is best known for playing Lucy in the BBC show ‘Summer of Rockets.’
- Sir Robert Yeardsley: a British politician, MP for Bute from 1905 to 1918.
- Richard Yeardsley: an English judge, who sat as a judge of the High Court of Justice.
- Alexander Robert Yeardsley: a London-based theatre producer and director, best known for his work on 'Circle of Love'.
- Joanna Yeardsley: Scottish fashion designer who is the head of the fashion house Yeardsley.
- Kenneth Yeardsley: American actor who has appeared on multiple television shows, including ‘Friends’, ‘Stargate SG-1’, and ‘Baywatch’.
- Edward Yeardsley: English television presenter who worked as presenter of the children's show 'Out of Step from 1997 until 2008.
- Peter Yeardsley: British painter whose work has been featured in numerous exhibitions around the world, including the Royal Academy in London.
- Robert Yeardsley: American zoologist who is now retired from the American Museum of Natural History.
- Benjamin Yeardsley: British mathematician who is now a professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge.