Surname Worthley - Meaning and Origin
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Worthley: What does the surname Worthley mean?
The surname Worthley is of Anglo-Saxon origin. It is derived from an Old English personal name and could refer to the bearer of the name as someone of high or great worth. The meaning of Worthley could also refer to a location such as a clearing in a wood or a hill with a view.
The Worthley surname appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 when records first began to be kept for taxation purposes. At that time, one of the earliest recorded occurrences of the name was in 1086 in Gloucestershire, England, where Richard Worthelea was listed. The name appears to have been popular in the old counties of Gloucestershire, Monmouthshire, and Warwick. Over time the spelling of the name has been altered to more closely resemble the modern variant found today.
The Worthley surname could represent an occupational surname, perhaps for someone of great skill or value who was employed by a noble family. It could also refer to a person from a place of great worth such as a clearing in a wood or a hill with a view. Alternatively, Worthley might have been used to describe someone whose character or behavior was of the highest regard.
Whichever the case, the last name Worthley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has been used for centuries to denote an individual of worth.
Order DNA origin analysisWorthley: Where does the name Worthley come from?
The last name Worthley is most prevalent in the United States today. According to MyHeritage.com, Worthley is an American name. The largest concentration of Worthleys can be found in the Midwestern states. The Chicago area has the highest concentration of Worthleys, followed by the states of Ohio, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Worthleys are distributed throughout the United States, with ste’s like Indiana, Iowa, and Minnesota having relatively significant populations of people with the last name Worthley.
The name Worthley is most prevalent among White Americans, followed by African-Americans, and then other ethnicities like Asian and Hispanic Americans. The last name Worthley is very rarely found in other English-speaking countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
The etymology of the name Worthley is unclear. One theory is that it is derived from a location where an ancestor lived, with Worthley springs being located in Tennessee in the United States. Another theory is that the name is derived from the Old English surname Wurthing, meaning “fortified house.”
It appears that the last name Worthley was first used in the 16th century in the United States, and was likely brought over by immigrants from England. Whether due to luck, hard work, or a combination of the two, the name Worthley has stood the test of time and remains a familiar last name across the United States today.
Variations of the surname Worthley
The surname Worthley is of Old English origin, and is derived from the place-name Worth, in the West Sussex area. Its variants include, Worley, Warley, Worrall, Worrell and Warrall.
Worley is an anglicized form of the Gaelic surname Mac an Bhorail, which means ‘son of the borrail’ (a man of highland origin), and is found predominantly in Ireland. It is also an occupational name derived from the Old English word ‘weorþ’, meaning ‘a weaver’.
Warley is another anglicized variant of the Gaelic surname, Mac an Bhorail. This spelling is especially common in areas of Scotland. Worrall is a derivative of the place-name Wyrehill in England, while Worrell is an occupational name derived from the medieval English word ‘were,’ which means ‘to guard.’
Warrall is a variation of Warley. It is a surname which originates from an area of England called Warleigh (or Warlega). Therefore, this variation of Willoughby most likely derived from someone who lived in or near this area.
In conclusion, the variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin for the surname Worthley include Worley, Warley, Worrall, Worrell and Warrall.
Famous people with the name Worthley
- Aimée Worthley: a professional makeup artist
- Aaron Worthley: a former contestant on the TV show Biggest Loser
- Christina Worthley: an American author
- Mark Worthley: the Australian actor and director
- Lynnette Worthley: an American painter
- Andrea Worthley: a professional guitarist
- Joseph Worthley: an English soldier in the eighteenth century
- Zachary Worthley: an American illustrator
- Adrian Worthley: an Australian composer and musician
- Abigail Worthley: a British fashion designer