Surname Winley - Meaning and Origin
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Winley: What does the surname Winley mean?
The last name Winley is an English surname of toponymic origin, primarily found in Cornwall and London. Toponymic names are those which derived from the name of a place or region. The surname Winley is thought to have been derived from the Old English pre 7th Century place name 'Wynlege', found near the town of Exeter, from the elements 'wyn', which translates as 'meadow', and 'leah' which means 'a clearing in a forest'. This suggests that people originally known as 'Winley' or 'Wynlege' were likely to have been inhabitants of or had some form of association with the meadow near Exeter.
The surname is still relatively rare today, however prior to the 19th Century it was widespread in the southwestern counties of England, particularly Cornwall, Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Hampshire. Early records of the surname include William Winley appearing in the 1204 'Fine Court Rolls of London' and Willelmus Winnleia in the Anglo-Saxon Wills Records of Somerset in 1273.
The surname Winley is thought to have made its way to America in the early Seventeenth Century when people from English counties such as Cornwall and Devon began to settle in Rhode Island, Connecticut and Massachusetts.
As well as being found in English speaking countries, the surname is also common in parts of Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands.
In summary, the surname Winley is derived from an Old English place name meaning 'meadow' and is commonly found in the south-western counties of England and other parts of Europe.
Order DNA origin analysisWinley: Where does the name Winley come from?
The last name Winley is most common in the United States, according to the US Census Bureau. The Winley family can be traced back to England in the 1800s. It is estimated that around 5,000 people with the last name Winley live in the US today.
The most common location in the US for the Winley family is Virginia. Winley families also have a strong presence in the states of Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Maryland. The city of Winston-Salem in North Carolina is home to the largest concentration of Winley family members.
Notable people with the last name Winley include MLB players Tim and George Winley, who were both active during the 1970s, and Charles Winley,TV shows writer and producer in the 1990s. The most famous Winley is undoubtedly Dr. Charles Winley, a pioneering African-American radiologist and professor at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Winley last name continues to be passed down through generations and it is likely that the family will remain strong in the US for many years to come.
Variations of the surname Winley
The surname Winley has several variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. It may be spelled Wynley, Wynly, Winly, or Winleigh. The Welsh form of the surname is Gwynllyw, derived from the personal name of Gwynlliw, a Welsh saint venerated in the 6th century. The Irish form is 'Mac Anlea' or 'McAnley' and is generally derived from the Gaelic Mac an Leah, which translates to ‘son of the bright one’.
The English variation of the name often appears as Winley, Wainley, and Wainly. The French variant is called Winlée and is derived from the Old French 'win' meaning white or fair. It can also appear as 'Wynlee', 'Winlea', or 'Wynly'. The Dutch variation, Winkele, is thought to have come from the personal name Windel or Vincent, which translates to ‘exhorter’ or ‘winner’.
The Polish form is Winlecki, derived from the personal name Wincent, which comes from the Latin 'Vincentius'. Another Polish variant is Lewinla, which is derived from the name Lewin, a Polish form of the Biblical name Levi. A German variation of the name is Winkle, derived from the personal name Winkel, which means ‘corner’ or ‘nook’.
The Russian version is Vinokurov, with 'vino' originating from the Slavic word 'vin' meaning "wine". A Jewish variant of the name is Winer, and is derived from the name Weiner, which translates to ‘wine’ in Yiddish. Additionally, Win Bottin is an Italian form of the surname, which is derived from the given name 'Botti', an Italian term for barrel.
Famous people with the name Winley
- Dexter Winley, former member of the Michigan House of Representatives.
- Marchelle Winley, CEO of Trans8 Solutions and former Wells Fargo executive.
- Charles Winley, American model, recording artist, and actor.
- Mike Winley, NFL fullback.
- Quincy Winley, American professional basketball player.
- Gary Winley, American lawyer and jurist.
- Ryan Winley, American football running back at Pittsburgh State University.
- Deann Winley, American actress and commercial spokeswoman.
- Barwin Winley, British singer-songwriter and radio host.
- Dr. Edward Winley, former president of Drury University.