Welcome to the Earl, Earll, Earls, Earle, Earles Surname Family History
About The Earl, Earll, Earls, Earle, Earles Surname
Surnames in families change more frequently than most people realize.
The surname of Erleigh / Earl / Earle has changed in spelling and 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 nad 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.
Near Bath, Somerset land called Herlei (modern-day Warleigh)
Near Reading, Berkshire land called Herlei (modern-day Earley)
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.
DNA Testing
Are People with the Same Family Name Related?
Two people can share a surname and have no biological relationship with each other. Sometimes there were adoptions of children, or other circumstances and those not of the bloodline took the surname.
DNA testing (specifically y-DNA testing) is showing that not everyone who has the surname Earle is related biologically. We encourage any male with the last name of Earle or a variation of Earle to take a y-DNA test. The y-DNA test is for the male line only and can help all of us understand our Earle heritage.
The Y chromosome passes almost unchanged from father to son. Male ancestors carried their Y-DNA line along their migrations, allowing you to trace your paternal ancestry by using our advanced Y-DNA tests and the world’s largest Y-DNA database.
Special sections on the Y chromosome determine a male’s Y haplogroup, revealing the origins of his ancestors as evidenced by common DNA markers.
Y-DNA test results of 2 people who have a documented lineage to Edward Earle (b. 1628) of Secaucus New Jersey show a general Y-DNA Haplogroup of R1A
We need Y-DNA tests for any known descendent of Ralph Earle (b.1606) of Rhode Island.
We also need Y-DNA tests for any known descendants of the Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia Earle families.
Join the Earle Surname Project at Family Tree DNA
We recommend FamilyTreeDNA for testing.
