Hammersley Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Hammersley Origin:

England

Origins of Hammersley:

This unusual surname listed as Hammersley, and Hammerslie, is of Old English origins. It acquires from some now ‘lost’ old hamlet considered to have been in Staffordshire and perhaps known as “Hamela’s Leia” or similar. This converts as ‘the clearing (Leah) of Hamela’ or maybe ‘an area cleared for agriculture on a (hamm) slope.’ There are known to be at least five thousand British surnames which acquire from places whose only memory lies in the presence of the name, and Hammersley is a good example. The name was first listed in London at the end of the 16th century, and unimportantly later it would seem in Stafford. It shows that the real ‘village’ violently cleared under the Enclosure Acts when most residents lost their old grazing rights and applied to more outside. When they did, they gave as easy classification, the name of their old home, and this may well have replaced for any old surname. Examples of the name documentation derived from the early records contain as Anne Hammerslie, the daughter of Hugh, the first named below, at the parish of St Olave’s, Hart Street, London in November 1599, and Dorcas, the second daughter of Hugh, but now noted as ‘Hew Hamersley’, at St Antholin’s, Budge Row, London, in June 1609. Walter Hamersley of Hamersley, was listed in the record of students at Oxford University in September 1610.

Variations:

More common variations are: Hammersly, Hamersley, Hammersoley, Hammersley, Hammerslea, Hammerslay, Hamersly, Hummersly, Hammersly.

England:

The surname Hammersley first appeared in Staffordshire at Hammersley, “a locality apparently too appeared in Staffordshire.” We can find no history of this hamlet today, but there is no uncertainty some or all of the family came from Staffordshire. By example, the Record of the University of Oxford list Walter Hamersley, in 1610 and William Hamersly in 1617 as both being from Staffordshire Evidence of the family also appeared at Kencott in Oxfordshire. It was here that the family of Hammersley. The taxes reduced for land and a money payment in 1767.”

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of Hugh Hammersley, dated about 1598, in the “St Olave’s Church,” London. It was during the time of Queen Elizabeth who was known to be the “Good Queen Bess,” dated 1558 – 1603. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation.

Ireland:

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

United States of America:

Individuals with the surname Hammersley landed in the United States in three different centuries respectively in the 18th, 19th, and 20th. Some of the people with the name Hammersley who arrived in the United States in the 18th century included Anne Hammersley settled in Virginia in 1732.

People with the surname Hammersley who landed in the United States in the 19th century included Edward Hammersley, and George arrived in Philadelphia in 1846. T. W. Hammersley arrived in San Francisco in 1852. W. B. Hammersley at the age of 28, who landed in America from Oldham, in 1893.

The following century saw much more Hammersley surnames arrive. Some of the people with the surname Hammersley who arrived in the United States in the 20th century included Guy Hammersley, who settled in America from London, in 1903. George Edward Hammersley, who moved to the United States from London, England, in 1912.

Canada:

Some of the people with the surname Hammersley who came to Canada in the 20th century included Robert D. Hammersley moved to Vancouver, Canada, in 1919.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Hammersley: England 1,516; United States 1,267; Australia 447; South Africa 201; New Zealand 151; Canada 126; Chile 99; Ireland 82; Scotland 53; Spain 11.

Notable People:

Ben Hammersley (born 1976), was a British photojournalist.

Charles E. Hammersley (died 1957), was an American leader.

Frederick Hammersley (1919–2009), was an American abstract artist.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

(Pall Mall, London). Gu. three rams’ heads couped or. Crest—A demi griffin segreant or, holding in the dexter claw a cross crosslet fitchee gu.