Surname Wenly - Meaning and Origin

Wenly: What does the surname Wenly mean?

The last name Wenly is of English origin and is derived from the given name Winsley, which is an English place-name derived from the Old English words ‘Wines’ (friend) and ‘Leah’ (wood or clearing). The first recorded spelling of the name was Winsley, occurring in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire from 1286. Other similar surname spellings include Winley, Winly and Winlye.

The name likely began as a reference to a person who came from a specific place named Winsley, as was the custom in medieval times. In some cases, the place name may have referred to a specific area of forest, given the meaning of the second element ‘leah’. People with the surname Wenly, and its variants such as Winley, are likely to be descended from a family who lived in this area at some time in the past.

The surname Wenly is not particularly common today, but it is widely distributed throughout the UK, as well as in the US. It may be found in records dated from medieval times, and so its history goes back some centuries. The name is likely to be found in family trees of those descended from the people who originally lived in Winsley.

Wenly: Where does the name Wenly come from?

The last name “Wenly” is most commonly found in the United States, primarily in California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The surname Wenly is of German origin and is said to have evolved from the pre-8th century personal name “Wenel” or “Wenelot.”

The most populous Wenlys living in the U.S. are in California, with an estimate of 1,504 individuals. Pennsylvania comes in a close second, with an estimated 837 people, followed by Florida with around 745. Ohio has about 267 Wenlys living in the state.

Outside of the U.S., Wenly is also found in Canada, particularly in the province of Ontario. The number of people with this surname is much smaller, however, with just 49 households in the 2016 Canadian census.

Other countries where Wenly is commonly found include Germany, the United Kingdom (primarily in England), Belgium, Denmark, and Norway. Each of these countries has fewer than 100 individuals with this surname.

Overall, the Wenly surname is not particularly common today. Although it is primarily found in the U.S., Canada, and a handful of other countries, the number of individuals carrying the name is very low.

Variations of the surname Wenly

The surname Wenly is thought to be of British or Irish origin and can have various spellings and also be a variant of other surnames.

The most common spelling is Wenly, although other variations include Wenley, Wenlyk, Wenleigh, Wenli, Wenlic, Wenle and Wenleyk. Depending on the origin of the surname, the spelling may also be than adapted to reflect a different surname.

In British surnames, the Wenly spelling can be a variant of the Welsh name Gwilym or Gwilliam, meaning ‘desire’ or ‘will’. This surname is often found in Oxfordshire, Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire, where it can also be spelled as Wainly.

In Irish surnames the Wenly spelling can be a variant of the surname Windle, the root of which is Ó Fionnghuala meaning ‘descendant of Fionnghuala'. This surname is often found in areas of the Northwest of Ireland such as Mayo, Galway, Donegal and the West of Clare.

Other surnames which Wenly is thought to be a variant of include: Wylie, Wile, Wiles, Wyly, Wyles, Willey, Wylie and Wylies.

The Wenly surname may also be a short form of other surnames including Weindal, Windal, Wintle and Wintell. The root of these names is either from the Germanic ‘winder’ which means ‘to twist’, or from the Old English ‘wintle’ meaning ‘winch’ or ‘machine’.

Famous people with the name Wenly

• Abigail Wenly: American artist, best known for her oil portraits
• Dale Wenly: former NFL football player and Super Bowl champion
• Emma Wenly: American school teacher and occupational therapist
• Grant Wenly: British actor, best known for his role in the TV show “Orange is the New Black”
• Hayden Wenly: former Major League Baseball player
• John Wenly: sculptor and filmmaker
• Jordan Wenly: American Motion Picture Technician and Colorist
• Julie Wenly: American politician and former member of the House of Representatives
• Louis Wenly: French singer and songwriter
• Margaret Wenly: author and social activist
• Maxwell Wenly: British animated filmmaker and Academy Award Winning Director
• Robert Wenly: former American CEO and successful businessman
• Ryan Wenly: musician and record producer
• Sandra Wenly: American political commentator and media personality
• Steve Wenly: American actor, best known for his roles in several blockbuster films
• Thomas Wenly: English poet and novelist

Other surnames

Wenley