Surname Wetherley - Meaning and Origin

Wetherley: What does the surname Wetherley mean?

The surname Wetherley is of English origin and is believed to be geographical, typically associated with a person who hailed from a place named Wetherly or Wetherley in England. It may also be derived from someone who lived in a sheep pasture, from the Old English words "wether," meaning a male sheep, and "leah," meaning a clearing or pasture. This was likely given to a person who lived in or by a field where sheep grazed. However, the specific origins of the surname Wetherley are not fully known, as it has likely evolved and changed throughout history. Like many surnames, its meaning may also be in relation to a person's occupation, status, or location. As a valuable piece of a person's identity, the Wetherley surname carries a rich history dating back several centuries conveying the ancestral cultural heritage of those who carry it.

Wetherley: Where does the name Wetherley come from?

The surname Wetherley is believed to have originated in England and is most commonly found around the areas of Lancashire and Cheshire in the United Kingdom. Historically, the surname is found in multiple towns across England, including Calderwood in Lancashire, Durnford in Cheshire, and Whitegate in Cheshire. The surname is also commonly found in Scotland. Today, Wetherley remains primarily a British surname found in England, Scotland, and Wales with relatively small numbers in Northern Ireland. There has been some migration of the surname from the UK to other English-speaking countries, such as the United States. However, the surname is still much less common in the United States and other countries than it is in the UK. Despite this, there are still sizeable numbers of people with the last name Wetherley living in the United Kingdom and other English-speaking countries, indicating that the surname is still quite common today.

Variations of the surname Wetherley

The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname “Wetherley” are Wetherly, Wethrly, Weatherley, Weatherly, Wetherlee, Wethrlee, Weatherlee, Wedderly and Wedderlee.

It is an English habitational or topographical surname which is pre-7th century Olde English in origin. It means “the stormy clearing” deriving from the Olde English pre 7th Century “weder” meaning storm, with “lea”, a clearing. During the Middle Ages when the majority of the population were unable to read or write, and local accents and dialects were extremely thick, even within a small region, it was not uncommon for a name to be spelled in a variety of ways, leading to the development of variant spellings. Over the centuries, accommodative surname spellings have remained a practice adopted by many families from all walks of life - not only those families of means.

Wetherley, Wetherly, Wethrly, Weatherley, Weatherly, Wetherlee, Wethrlee, Weatherlee, Wedderly and Wedderlee are all variants of each other – a family with the same ancestry having slightly different spellings of their surname.

Famous people with the name Wetherley

• John Wetherley: British actor known for his roles on the television series Goodnight Sweetheart and Secret Army.
• Jaxon Wetherley: Professional BMX rider, X Games champion, and member of the Dew Tour.
• Robert Wetherley: English rugby league player who represented Great Britain in the 1975 Rugby League World Cup.
• Danielle Wetherley: Australia’s Got Talent Season 9 winner and singer/songwriter.
• Heather Wetherley: American singer/songwriter and stage actress who has played roles in Chicago, Cats, 42nd Street, and The Pajama Game.
• Bill Wetherley: Professional American football player who played in the NFL for the Washington Redskins.
• Kate Wetherley: British stage and television actress who has appeared in The Navy Lark and Howards' Way.
• Patrick Wetherley: Professional golfer who won the 1987 Austrian Open.
• Gerard Wetherley: Irish painting contractor, set decorator, and production designer whose film credits include Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and The Da Vinci Code.
• Wilfrid Wetherley: English newspaper editor and politician who was the Member of Parliament for South Shields from 1950-1966.

Other surnames

WetherleeWetherly