Surname Wereley - Meaning and Origin

Wereley: What does the surname Wereley mean?

The last name Wereley is one that has a storied past that can be traced back to the Middle Ages. The name is thought to have originated in the north of England, possibly in what was once Lancashire. The meaning of the name is believed to come from the Old English ‘wer’ meaning ‘guard’ and ‘lēah’ meaning ‘a clearing in the woods’; so when combined it could mean ‘guard of the woods clearing’.

The name would have been used to describe both individuals who held a guarded post or honourary position, as well as to mark a particular clearing in the woods. It is believed that when families with the name settled in other areas, the spelling of the name changed in order to make it unique and to mark the family’s migration away from their ancestral home.

The Wereley name can be found in various spellings throughout England, including Wrily, Werely and Werelee. Members of the Wereley family have left their mark on history, from Francis Wrely who was a Captain in the Royal Marines, to Mary Werelee who was listed in the 1086 Domesday Book.

Overall, the Wereley name is steeped in a rich and noble history, one that links it to both those individuals who held an honourable position and to a particular area of the countryside. It is likely that the original name holders were connected to a particular area of land and that their legacy and unique spelling of the name carries through to the descendants of those original families today.

Wereley: Where does the name Wereley come from?

The surname Wereley is primarily found in the United States and Canada. It is believed to have originated from England, though the exact origin is unknown. In the United States, the states with the most Wereley surnames are New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan. In Canada, the provinces with the highest rates of the surname are Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. It is unusual in that it does not appear to be linked to any other surname, and is a rare occurrence.

The Wereleys of the United States seem to have originated in Pennsylvania, where the first record of the name appears in 1786. It likely originated even earlier than that, as many other Pennsylvania families can trace their family histories further back.

In addition to the United States and Canada, the surname can also be found in the United Kingdom. However, the rate of occurrence is much lower. It was not found in the 1881 census of England and Wales, suggesting it was not well established in that region.

The surname Wereley may have been derived from a nickname or surname originating from the region of Württemberg, Germany. This is an area steeped in history that was once the home of numerous noble families. The name Wereley may have been the result of adding a prefix to the original surname.

Though the origin of the Wereley surname is still somewhat unclear, it is known to be a relatively rare one. Its presence in the United States and Canada is especially notable compared to the lower rate of occurrence in the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Wereley

Wereley is an English surname which derives from the Anglo-Saxon personal name Werleah, composed of wer which means “man” and leah which means “woodland” or “clearing”. It is also thought to be related to the old Germanic name Weralwhich which means “guard of the wood”.

Variants of the surname Wereley include Worley, Wayley, Wearley, Warley, Worrell, Wrely and Wriley.

Spellings of the surname can also differ, with Werley and Warly being two of the most common variations.

Variants of the surname which stem from the same origin include Worrill, Worrall and Warrall.

The surname Wereley can also be found in other countries, such as France, where it is spelled Varley or Varelay or Varely. In Germany, the spelling could possibly be Werli or Werlei.

The various surnames and spellings all feature slight variations of the original Anglo-Saxon roots. The meaning is essentially the same, and all versions were probably brought into use from a common ancestor.

Famous people with the name Wereley

• Steve Wereley: Professor and Associate Head of the Purdue University School of Mechanical Engineering
• Maureen Wereley: Senior lecturer in the Department of Computer Science at MIT
• Neal Wereley: Co-founder and CEO of the software company Slideboom
• Bill Wereley: Executive Director of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs
• Mickey Wereley: Professional Motocross racer
• Peter Wereley: Steel industry entrepreneur and philanthropist
• Chris Wereley: Professional golfer
• David Wereley: Award-winning screenwriter
• Pete Wereley: Award-winning photographer
• Mark Wereley: Minor league baseball player

Other surnames

Werely