I need my researchers
By AmberLynn
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
United States
February 18, 2016 3:17am CST
I used the website behindthename to find out more information on the surname of my mother's side. I found out a bit of interesting information, including the old variants across Ireland.
However, one thing stumped me. The surname came from a place that mean "broad clearing" or "broad woods" but I've not yet found out what place that is.
I may never know but I do assume it is a a place name in England or perhaps Ireland.
Anyone wanna have a go trying to find out?
3 people like this
4 responses
@owlwings (43897)
• Cambridge, England
18 Feb 16
That's a bit of a tall order without knowing your mother's name or the place name referred to and the language the name is in - Irish? Welsh? Anglo-Saxon?
In England (where Anglo-Saxon names abound) Bradley would be a common surname which probably comes from a place-name meaning 'broad clearing'. Since the ending -ley may either come from a word meaning 'clearing' or one meaning 'wood' (or one meaning 'meadow'), I am guessing that your mother's maiden name ends in '-ley', however, if it's an Irish name, it may be quite different.
There are 60 instances of 'Bradley' listed in the Historical Gazetteer of England. Many are field names (most of which will derive from the surnames of owners) but there are quite a few settlement names as well.
The Historical Gazetteer >> Search Place-name form modern form of a place-name is the one currently in use. A historic form is one that may no longer be in use, but which can be found in earlier documents.');" onmouseout="tooltip.hide();"> ? Histori
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
18 Feb 16
Thank you for the help. I'll have to read this later as I am getting very tired.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189838)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Feb 16
Bradley is an English surname derived from a place name meaning "broad wood" or "broad clearing.
@TiarasOceanView (70020)
• United States
18 Feb 16
You want to find out where exactly the surname originated, say what county for instance, can you find that out Narnia? That may help you narrow it down, to at least a guess of some of the towns either English or Irish.
@JESSY3236 (22246)
• United States
18 Feb 16
I tried out my surname, but it wasn't listed. I have heard my surname is an English name. But I once saw a website talking about a folk lore about how the variants of it came about.
