Surname Standley - Meaning and Origin
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Standley: What does the surname Standley mean?
The surname Standley is of Old English origin, derived from two components: "stan," meaning "stone" and "leah," meaning "clearing, meadow or wood." Thus, forming the meaning as "the stone meadow" or "stony clearing." The name may refer to someone who lived by a stony clearing or a place which was identifiable by a stony ground. Over time, the pronunciation and spelling of such surnames have evolved, leading to various modern forms. Standley is related to similar surnames like Stanley, Standly, Standlie, and Standlee. Surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups based on occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, etc. Hence, Standley, which seems to be a geographical or topographical surname, likely was used to identify individuals based on their living location.
Order DNA origin analysisStandley: Where does the name Standley come from?
The last name Standley is rather uncommon today - it does not appear in the top 1000 surnames in the US, making it even rarer than other similar names such as Stanley and Stanly.
The Standley surname originated in the United Kingdom, particularly in Staffordshire and the West Midlands. Despite never being particularly common, records of the Standley surname can be traced in England as far back as the 12th century. During the 18th and 19th century, the Standley surname may have been slightly more widespread, as many people from the UK emigrated during that time.
Today, the last name Standley can be found primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Although Standley is a rare surname, it is still relatively well-distributed; according to WhitePages, there are around 6,000 people in the US with the last name Standley.
Given the scarcity of the name, Standley family members are likely to be scattered around the world. However, by utilizing online genealogical resources or networking with other Standley family members, distant relatives can be located and connected.
Variations of the surname Standley
Standley is a patronymic surname derived from the masculine given name Stanford. The surname Standley originated in England and is still most commonly found in and around England. Common variants of the surname Standley include: Standlee,Stanley, Standly, Standleigh, and Standlye. The last name Standley has several different spellings and surname forms, some of which are Standlie,Stanly, and Stanleigh.
In the United States, Standley is a predominately Northern name due to its English origin. The Standley name can be found in a large majority of the Southern states, with strong concentrations in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Alabama. Variants and spellings of the Standley name are often associated with different regions throughout the U.S.
The most common spellings for the Standley name in Europe include Standlee, Standly, Standlye, and Standleigh. Standley has also been recorded in parts of Scotland, Germany, and France. Other spellings and variants of Standley may be found elsewhere in the world as well.
In the United States, Standleys are found with the surnames Stanly, Stanely, Stanlee, and Stanleigh. Other surname variations can also be attributed to Standley including Stanleigh, Standleigh, Stanliff, Stanfley, Stanflee, Stanfley, Standliff, Standlee, Stanlee, Stanlea, and Stanlee.
Overall, Standley is a particular surname derived from the given name Stanford. It is a surname of English origin that is most commonly found in Northern England and the United States. The variants and forms of Standley include: Standlee,Stanley, Standly, Standleigh, Stanly, and Standlye. The surname Standley is also found in forms such as Stanleigh, Standliff, Standlee, Stanlea, Stanlee, Stanfley, Stanflee, Stanfley, and Stanliff.
Famous people with the name Standley
- Alan Standley: Alan Standley is a noted British actor, born in 1954. He has appeared in numerous films and television series, and is best known for playing Frank Mickery in the series "Minder."
- Louis Standley: Louis Standley was an American painter, born in 1898. He was a part of the American Scene Painting Movement and exhibited his paintings in several galleries and universities, including New York’s Museum of Modern Art.
- Paul Standley: Paul Standley is a British film and television director, born in 1965. His credits include "Game of Thrones," "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince," and "Sherlock." He's also directed several music videos for acts including U2 and Coldplay.
- Dan Standley: Dan Standley is an American actor, born in 1961. He's appeared in numerous films and television shows, most famously playing Roman Brady in the soap opera "Days Of Our Lives" from 1990 to 1993.
- Misty Standley: Misty Standley is an American country singer, songwriter and musician, born in 1976. She released her self-titled debut album in 1998 and has gone on to tour with music acts including Kenny Chesney and Rascal Flatts.
- Connor Standley: Connor Standley is an Australian-born model, born in 1992. He started his modelling career in 2014 when he participated in the Elite Model Look competition in Australia. He has since appeared in campaigns for fashion labels including Guess and Calvin Klein.