Surname Wetherly - Meaning and Origin
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Wetherly: What does the surname Wetherly mean?
The last name "Wetherly" is of English origin, though its exact meaning is not clear. It likely has geographic or occupational roots, as is common with many English surnames. One possibility is that it could come from the Old English words "wether", meaning a castrated ram, and "leah", meaning a woodland or clearing. Therefore, it could mean a clearing where sheep were kept, suggesting that the original bearers of this surname may have been shepherds or lived near such a place. Alternately, it might be a variant of 'Weatherley', a place-name surname representing either of two locations in England—Weatherley in Bedfordshire or Wetherleigh in Devon. Please note that these interpretations aren't definitive, since many historical records and linguistic nuances that could provide a more accurate meaning have been lost over time.
Order DNA origin analysisWetherly: Where does the name Wetherly come from?
The last name Wetherly is quite common today, mainly around the United Kingdom and its former colonies. It is found in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, United States, India, and other countries. The earliest records of the name date back to the mid-14th century, early records found in Lincolnshire, England. Today, it is a popular surname amongst descendants of the British Isles, including those who have adopted other nationalities and cultures.
In the United Kingdom, the last name Wetherly is most common in the south and east of England, although it is present in other parts of the country as well. Some numbers show that around 1 in 10,300 people in England has the surname. It is less common in Scotland and across the island of Ireland.
In the United States, the name Wetherly is more rare than in Britain, found mainly in the Midwest. It is most common in Missouri, followed by Texas, California, Washington, Minnesota, and Nebraska. Numbers of the surname range from 1 in 87,640 to 1 in 2,160,150, with a total count of around 500 people in the U.S. It is also present in Canada, although not as common.
Overall, the last name Wetherly is widely distributed across Britain, Ireland, and the former British colonies, and has been around for centuries. It is significantly less common in other countries, including the United States.
Variations of the surname Wetherly
The surname Wetherly is an English surname derived from the Old English word weðerleah meaning “enclosed meadow” and can be spelled in numerous ways, including Wetherlee, Wetherly, Wetherley, Wederley, Waterley, Wedderley, and Weatherlee; however, the spelling Wetherly is the most commonly used.
A variant of the surname Wetherly is Wedderly. This surname can also be spelt Wadderly or Wedderlie. It is believed that this is derived from the Old English word wade which means ford or crossing, combined with leah or lee meaning meadow or clearing.
The surname Wetherly can also take the form of Wetherall or Weddrell. This is probably a combination of Wetherly and the popular English middle name Harry, thus creating a surname that means “Harry’s meadow”.
The surnames Weatherill, Weetall, Weetill, Whetall, and Whetill represent a combination of Wetherly with the English surname Hill, thus meaning “hill of the meadow”.
The surnames Wettil, Wettles, Wetwill, and Widdle are believed to be variants of Wetherly as well. It is thought that these are derived from Old English words including wæte meaning wet, wlagen meaning a waterslang or waterpipe, and widd, meaning a ford or fording place.
The surnames Wotherly and Wotherlee can also be traced to the surname Wetherly as they are spelled variations of the alternative spelling Wetherlee.
Finally, the surnames Wetherell and Weatherall could also be related to the Wetherly surname, as they are obviously made up of Wetherly with the suffix ell and all. Both of these surnames mean “Meadow near the spring”.
Famous people with the name Wetherly
- Tony Wetherly: former professional association football player
- John Wetherly: American professional rodeo bullfighter and six-time PRCA Bullfighter of the Year
- Austin Wetherly: American professional baseball pitcher
- Dan Wetherly: American professional ice hockey player
- Drew Wetherly: American professional basketball player
- Giselle Wetherly: Brazilian actress
- Hugh Wetherly: British Royal Air Force officer and World War II flying ace
- Jason Wetherly: American professional golfer
- Maya Wetherly: American skeleton racer
- Nicholas Wetherly: British film and television actor