Origin of the surname Butterley

The one certain thing about this locational surname is that it originally developed from the village of Butterley in Derbyshire, or from some place now lost of the same name. The village has Olde English pre 10th century origins and the traditional translation is "the pasture (leah) which provided good butter (buter)!" Well indeed that may be so, but as one has to produce cream and milk first in order to make butter, it is more likely that the meaning is the field of butter cups, or even that it was a bright pasture, one south facing.

The first village recording is that of 1276 when the spelling appears as "Buterleg" and then later in 1330 as" Butterleye" although the surname would seem to be much later. In fact the surname is one of a group which developed through (near) tragedy. In the 15th century a number of Enclosure Acts passed through Parliament enabling landlords to "enclose" the common grazing lands on which the tenants relied. This resulted in many people being forced to leave the area, but in so doing they took or were given as their surname, the name of their former village. Certainly Butterley spread quickly as a surname, in fact it was recorded in London (see below) before Derbyshire. How can this be? probably because of bad record keeping in areas far from London, but this is conjecture. Examples of the name include Theophilius Butterly, son of Richardi and Elizabethae, christened at St Brides, Fleet Street, on December 10th 1690, and John Butterley of Repton, Derbyshire, recorded there on September 30th 1708. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Katherin Butterley, which was dated October 31st 1569, married Nicholas Staples at St James Church, Clerkenwell, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess" 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

The surname Butterley. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance

Discovering the historical roots of butterley is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. Research into the possible origins of butterley leads us to learn more about those who bear this surname.

The surname Butterley around the world

Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname butterley. There is a considerable probability that butterley has crossed the borders of its place of origin to establish itself, to a greater or lesser extent, in other parts of the world. With all the information we have today, it can be said that the countries where butterley is most abundant are the following.

History of Butterley

The historical chronicle of butterley is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. The deeds, the way of life, the places they lived, the family relationships they had, the jobs they held by those who were the first to be named butterley are found in every look back in the history of this lineage.

We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname butterley, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. It is common for genealogy and surname enthusiasts to provide us with information of special value, so the data we offer about the origins of butterley could be modified.

Notable Figures Named Butterley

It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished butterleys throughout human history. We assume that there have been significant contributions to humanity made by individuals with the surname butterley, even though not all have been documented to our present day. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname butterley who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.

The surname Butterley and its bibliographic sources

Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of butterley. The bibliography collects information related to the surname butterley, which allows us to learn more about its meaning.

SOURCES

These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of butterley, and at the same time, of surnames in general.

Origin of Butterley