Windley Family History
Windley Surname Meaning
English: habitational name from Windley, a place in Derbyshire named from Old English winn ‘pasture meadow’.
It combines two elements: winn, which means ‘pasture’ or ‘meadow’, and lēah, which refers to a ‘wood’ or ‘woodland clearing’.
The name reflects the geographical features of the area, indicating a pastoral landscape that includes both meadows and wooded spaces.
Such habitational names are common in England and often convey important information about the nature of the land.
Windley's etymology highlights the historical relationship between the land's use and its naming conventions.
Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022