Burley Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Burley Origin:
England

Origins of Burley:
This notable surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is locational from any of the different places so called, for example, Burley in Derbyshire, Rutland, Shropshire and the West Riding of Yorkshire. The name in all examples acquires from the Olde English pre 7th Century “burg,” a fort, and “leah,” a clearing in wood.  So, “the clearing by a fort.”  Locational surnames were originally derived by a local landowner, or by the lord of the estate, and especially by those old inhabitants of a place who moved to another area, usually in search of work, and were there best recognized by the name of their birthplace.

Variations:
More common variations are: Bourley, Buerley, Baurley, Buirley, Buhrley, Bhurley, Burliey, Burhley, Burleyh, Burrley.

England:
The surname Burley first appeared in Somerset where Burley Castle where a motte and bailey castle of the late 11th or early 12th century remains to this day.  The village and civil church Burley, or Burley-on-the-Hill, is located two miles north- east of Oakham in Rutland. Burleigh Castle existed near the hamlet of Milnathort, in Perth and Kinross, Scotland and dates from the 15th and 16th centuries.  It was held by the Balfours from 1446. Burleigh is also a village in Berkshire, England, within the civil church of Warfield.

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of John de Borleg, dated 1273, in the Hundred Rolls of Shropshire”.   It was during the reign of King Edward 1, who was known as “The Hammer of the Scots” dated 1272-1307.  Surname all over the country became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation.  It came to be known as Poll Tax in England.  Surnames all over the country began to develop with unique and shocking spelling varieties of the original one.

Ireland:
Many of the people with surname Burley had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.

United States of America:
Individuals with the surname Burley landed in the United States in three different centuries respectively in the 17th, 18th, and 19th.    Some of the people with the name Burley who arrived in the United States in the 17th century included Timothy Burley, who arrived in Virginia in 1622.  Rodger Burley settled in Virginia in 1635.  Rodger Burley, aged 17, landed in Virginia in 1635.

People with the surname Burley who landed in the United States in the 18th century included Hugh Burley, who landed in Virginia in 1705

The following century saw more Burley surnames arrive.  Some of the people with the surname Burley who arrived in the United States in the 19th century included C. Burley settled in Baltimore Maryland in 1820.

Canada:
People with the surname Burley who landed in the Canada in the 18th century included Fredk Burley, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749.  Fredk, Burley Jr., who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749.  Mr. Freeman Burley U.E. who settled in Ernestown, Lennox & Addington, Ontario c. 1783.

The following century saw more Burley surnames arrive.  Some of the people with the surname Burley who arrived in the Canada in the 19th century included Ezekiel Burley who came to Canada in 1840.

Australia:
Some of the individuals with the surname Burley who landed in Australia in the 19th century included Robert Burley arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship “Katherine Stewart Forbes” in 1837.  Robert Burley arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship “Rajasthan” in 1838.

New-Zealand:
Some of the population with the surname Burley who arrived in  New Zealand in the 19th century included George Burley, aged 27, a laborer, arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship “Bebington” in 1872.  Richard John Burley, aged 28, a coach builder, came in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship “Countess of Kintore” in 1875.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Burley:
United States 9,510; England 4,340; Australia 1,851; Canada 1,526; South Africa 438; Scotland 282; Wales 248; New Zealand 218; France 134; Germany 134.

Notable People:
George Burley was a Scottish football player and manager.
Gillian Beer (born Burley), was a British literary scholar.
Jane Burley is a Scottish field hockey midfielder.
Jos Burley was a member of New Zealand’s women’s cricket team.
Joseph Leonard Burley is the founder of the Burley Football Company.
Kay Burley was an English television newscaster.
Nancy Burley (1930–2013), was an Australian figure skater.
Nick Burley is an American boxer.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

1) (Leicestershire and Wiltshire). Vert, three boars’ heads couped ar. armed or. Crest—A demi boar ppr. armed, hoofed, and bristled or, and gorged with a chain of the last, supporting a thistle ppr.
2) (Devon). Ar. a chief sa., three lances counterchanged.
3) (Sir Simon, Sir Richard and Sir John Burley, all K.Gs., temp. Richard II.). Barry of six sa. and or, on a chief of the last two pallets of the first, an inescutcheon gu. charged with three bars erm.
4) (Shropshire). Paly of six sa. and or, on a chief of the second two pallets of the first, an inescutcheon barry of six gu. and erm.
5) Sa. three bars or, a chief of the last charged with two pellets, on an inescutcheon erm. three bars gu.
6) Paly of six ar. and az. over all three bars gu.
7) Or, three bars sa. a chief paly erm. and gu.
8) Ar. a lion ramp. sa. debruised with a fesse chequy or and az.
9) Per fesse embattled sa. and ar. three lances counterchanged.
10) Ar. three tilting spears in pale sa. embrued gu. a chief of the second.
11) (alias Mylde). Ar. a lion ramp. sa. armed gu. debruised by a fesse chequy or and az.
12) (John Burley, Sheriff, co. Salop, 1409). Vert, three boars’ heads couped ar.
13) (Ireland). Erm. four bars gu. a border gobony ar. and sa.
14) Erm. a bend gu. three chev. or.
15) Quarterly, ar. and sa.
16) Gu. two bars gobonated ar. and az.