The Earl, Earll, Earls, Earle, Earles Surname

A member of the London Genealogical Society writes: “The family of Earle is of very ancient origin, and can be traced back, most probably, to a Saxon ancestor, prior to the Norman Conquest; but certainly I find evidence proving that, at the time of Henry the Second (who was crowned A. D. 1154), they were of Beckington, in the County of Somerset.”

The surname Erleigh / Earl / Earle has changed in spelling and has had many variations over the years.

In the British historical records, the surname has appeared as:

de Erleigh, de Erlegh, de Erleia, de Earley, de Erley, d’Erley, de Herlegh, de Arle, d’Arley Arrel, Hurley, Herlegh, Harley, Harle, Harlee, Harleye, Herleye, Erleg, Arleye, Erley, Erleye, Erle, Ernly, Earley, etc.

In more modern times, the name has been changed to Earl, Earll, Earls, Earle, Earles, and possibly Hurley and Searly and Darley.

Historical sources show that the English Surname we know today as Earle / Earl is derived from the lands, estates and manors held by the family in the time of Henry I (1100- 1135). It is possible that the Erleigh family held these lands prior to the Norman Invasion of 1066.

The Land in Berkshire was called Herlei or Erleigh (modern day town, spelled Earley), in England which is near the city of Reading in Berkshire county. The Bershire manors were called Erleigh Regis, later known as Erleigh Whiteknights, and Erleigh Bartholomew.

Inaddition to the land in Berkshire, the Family also had substantial land holdings in the Hundred of North Petherton, and The Hundred of Somerset.

In the Domesday Survey there is land in Somerset near Bath that is also called Herlei (modern day Warleigh).

The Family holdings were enough that the Family were considered to be minor Barons.

It is clear that this family derived their Erleigh surname as a “place-name” from these lands called Herlei. Some of these lands were held before the Norman Invasion and some were granted to the family by Henry I between 1100- 1135.

The Land called Herlei (Erleigh) Berkshire

Roman artifacts have been found at several sites in Earley. A Saxon settlement has been discovered in Reading at the confluence of the Kennet and the Thames, dating from about 600 AD. During the Reign of Edward the Confessor, the Crown held the Manors at Earley.

The Domesday survey completed in 1086 records two manors, Erlegh St. Bartholomew and Erlegh St. Nicholas. The de Erlegh family held the manors c.1100 – 1362. John de Erlegh in 1292, was known as the White Knight – thus, the estate of St Nicholas was renamed Whiteknights Manor. The other Manor also had a name change to Erlegh Court. The Manor of Maiden Erlegh, Erley Maydens, is attested from 1502, and it was formed out of Earley Whiteknights in the 14th Century.

This is the Domesday entry for one of the manors in Erleigh called Erleigh Regis, later called Erleigh Whiteknights, near Reading in Berkshire, held by Almar. We read that in 1086, it was held directly by the King. Another neighboring manor, also called Erleigh Bartholomew, was held by a Norman tenant of the King, Osbern Giffard.

The Domesday Book is written in heavily abbreviated Latin with small marks to show where a letter or letters have been left out, to save space.

The following is an expanded translation (Domesday words directly translated in bold) of the entry for the royal estate and manors of Erleigh (Latin Herlei), Berkshire:

The King (William) holds in demesne Earley (in lordship – that is, by and for himself; he has not let it out to a sub-tenant). Almar (an Anglo-Saxon) held it in alod (freehold) from King Edward (The Confessor). Then (in 1066, it was assessed for tax purposes) at 5 hides, now (in 1086 it is assessed) for (the equivalent of) 4 hides. (There is) Land for use by 6 ploughs. In demesne (on the lord’s land there is land for) 1 plough and (there are) 6 villans (villagers) and 1 bordar (smallholder) with 3 ploughs. There (are) 2 slaves (owned by the King) and 1 site (or close) in Reading (presumably owned by or part of the manor) and (there are) 2 fisheries worth (rendering) 7s and 6d (per year) and 20 acres of meadow. (There is) Woodland for (feeding) 70 pigs. At the time of King Edward (1066) it was worth 100s, and afterwards (when William acquired the manor) and now (1086) it is worth 50s.

Source: https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/discover-domesday/interpreting-domesday.htm

The Herlei of 1086, the Great Survey records a population of 21 people, although it is thought likely a truer figure would be around 100.