Surname Studley - Meaning and Origin
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Studley: What does the surname Studley mean?
Studley is a surname of English origin; it is a habitational surname which originates from the various places called Studley (or Stedley), which are scattered across England (and a few other countries).
The meaning of the name Studley is believed to mostly be from the Old English steed, meaning 'place where horses are kept.' It could possibly come from an alternate meaning; stud, meaning a small area of land used for breeding horses, or stud farm. Alternatively, it could have derived its meaning from a combination of the two.
The earliest recorded evidence of the Studley surname comes from the 12th and 13th century, when the Studley family was a line of aristocratic family that owned significant landholdings in England. During this time they were a prominent family, even gathering royal favour for supporting the crown in battles such as the War of the Roses.
The Studley family has since spread around the world, with branches of the family in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. Many of them have achieved notable success in a variety of fields, such as politics, business, and art.
The Studley surname will continue to endure as the generations progress, continuing to represent and uphold the legacies and traditions of the Studley family.
Order DNA origin analysisStudley: Where does the name Studley come from?
The last name Studley is most widespread in the United States at the present time. According to Ancestry.com, the surname Studley is most common in the states of Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky, and Oklahoma.
The Studley surname is associated with being of English origin, first showing up in records in England, Wales, and Scotland between the 11th and 17th centuries. The name is derived from the Old English word "Stodlega," meaning either "Miracle Wood" or the "the enclosure of a wood."
Studley is mostly found in England today, but immigration during the 19th century brought many of the Studley line to the U.S. Many of those were recorded as being born in Pennsylvania, following German ancestors who had moved to America with the Palatine Immigration of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Today, the Studley name has spread widely throughout the country. There are multiple records of Studley in the Social Security Death Index, and the US Census shows that the last name varies in popularity, although it has risen slightly since the first census of 1790.
Consequently, while the last name Studley is common today, it is nowhere near as widespread as it was centuries ago in England and Germany. As such, it can still be considered a rare family name, with a noteworthy history stretching back hundreds of years.
Variations of the surname Studley
The Studley surname originated in England and is derived from the small settlement of Stottesden in the Herefordshire county. As such, many of its variants and spellings are related to the general surname Stott, which is in turn thought to have derived from the Old English personal name Stotte, thought to mean “dweller at a boil or hill”. Variants of the Studley surname include Stott, Stoddle, Stottle, Stoddel, St Shop, Stottesden, Stottley, Stubley, Stockly, and Studdle.
Today, the most common variant of the surname is Stott, which is the fourth most commonly found surname in the Herefordshire county. Other variants are found throughout the United Kingdom, particularly in Yorkshire, Kent, and Lancashire.
The surname also has a number of international variants, most notably Studley or Stuttley, which is prominent in the United States of America. Today the surname is also seen among African-Americans, who adopted it during the period of African-American enslavement in America.
Studley is also a common spelling of the surname Tudor, which is itself an old Anglo-Saxon habitational name derived from the pre-seventh century Old English personal name Tudur. It is particularly prominent among the Dutch-American population in Michigan and Wisconsin.
The related Stodle family, found in Scotland, is thought to have derived from a place-name. Finally, the Scandinavian variant Sturholm is a habitational name for someone from the village of Sturholm near Flensburg in Germany.
Famous people with the name Studley
- John Studley, the writer of the award-winning British TV comedy "Yes, Minister"
- Alexander Studley, an American composer known for works such as “A Tone Poem for ‘The Marches of Scotland”
- Tod Studley, the former commissioner of the National Football League
- Kate Studley, the American television host & producer
- Samson Studley, the leader & founder of the Studley family in the UK
- Chelsea Studley, the American internet personality & actor
- William Holding Studley, the Bishop of Peterborough in the UK during the 19th century
- Luke Studley, the British Royal Navy officer who was awarded a Victoria Cross during WW1
- Jason Studley, the American former professional basketball player
- Rachel Studley, the British physiotherapist & marathon runner