Surname Offley - Meaning and Origin

Offley: What does the surname Offley mean?

The last name Offley is an English surname of topographic origin, referring to someone who lived by a hill or slope.

The origin of the name is believed to stem from an Anglo-Saxon term, ofleah or offla, meaning a 'pointed hill'. The name has been in use since medieval times and there are several villages in England that have the word ‘offley’ in their name, such as Offley Hoo, Offley Halse and Offley Hay.

The surname is mainly found in the English counties of Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire and Oxfordshire. Offleys today, are spread far and wide in many countries.

Variations of the name Offley include Ofley, Offlea, Offlee, Offleigh, Offli, Offlie, Offly and Offlyng.

The first recorded spelling of the surname is that of one Thomas Wyne of Offlé, which appeared in the 'Hertfordshire Feet of Fines' in 1214. Other mentions of the name include John de Offley of Wolston in 1242, and Johannes de Ofle in 1279.

When researching the history of the name, it is thought that the ancestors of the Offley family were thought to have lived in the village of Offley, located in Hertfordshire. The narrowness and steepness of the hills in this area, gave rise to the surname.

Offleys today can be found in many countries and they continue to hold a strong presence in the UK. The name Offley is a reminder of a past when people were living off the land and used the countryside as their home.

Offley: Where does the name Offley come from?

The last name Offley is quite uncommon today, but it is still found in many parts of the world. In the United States, the most recent census showed that there were about 1078 people with the last name Offley living in the country. The states with the most Offleys were California with 286, Texas with 262, and New York with 224.

Outside of the US, the name is also found in Australia, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, New Zealand, and South Africa. It’s particularly common in Nottinghamshire, England – the Offley family had a long and distinguished history there.

The original version of the name was Ó Fflaithbheartaigh, which is derived from the Irish words “off” and “fearadhach”, meaning “parched” and “fortunate” respectively. This might explain why the name has longevity and is still found in many places today.

The Offley family is said to have come from Ireland to England, and then later spread throughout the US, so the name is carried on by many different branches of those families. It is likely that Offleys all over the world can trace their lineage back to this early Irish family.

The name Offley can still be seen in many aspects of today’s society, whether it’s through local businesses or street names. Although it is not as common as some other last names, it is still present in a number of countries and might be around for much longer.

Variations of the surname Offley

The surname Offley has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common Anglicised version of the name is Offley, while other variants of the name include Offlay, Offly, Offlee, Offlie, Offleigh, Awligh, Olfley, Olflie, and Olfleigh.

The surname is thought to have come from the Old English pre-7th century “Aelf-leigh,” which translates to “Elf-clearing” or “elf wood”. This origin suggests that the surname likely developed from an Old English place name that was derived from the term “Aelf-leigh”. The surname may have originated with people who lived near a clearing that was associated with mythical creatures, such as elves or fairies.

The name Offley is first recorded in England in the early 13th century, with a listing of Roger de Auflee in 1218 in the Pipe Rolls for the County of Oxford. It was not until the 16th century that the surname was spelled Offley.

Spelling variants of Offley have been in use since the Middle Ages. They include Olflie (1250), Ulflay (1285), Offlee (1327), Ufley (1417), Offly (1423), Offleigh (1444) and Awligh (1586).

The surname Offley is found throughout England, but most people with the surname can be found in the west Midlands, where it was popularized by the Norman Conquest of 1066. Over time, the surname spread from the west Midlands to other parts of England and to the British Isles, North America, Australia, and other parts of the world.

Famous people with the name Offley

• Jessica Offley: an American professional soccer player and Olympic athlete
• Christine Offley: a British singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist
• Mark Offley: an English grammar school teacher and broadcaster
• Steven Offley: an American former professional football player
• Edward Offley: a British baron and politician
• Christopher Offley: an English television actor
• Richard Offley: an English professional squash player
• William Offley: an English professional cricketer
• John Offley: a British Royal Navy admiral
• John Offley: an English professional association footballer

Other surnames

Offler