Map of England showing where the Stockley arms are recorded
The Stockley arms were recorded in Stafford, c. 1568.
Staffordshire was mixed country of moorland, farmland and early ironworking. Its landed families were spread widely rather than concentrated, and each holding brought its own claim to arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
Elizabeth I of England
Sovereign of the period
Elizabeth I of England
1558–1603
Reigning in England when the Stockley arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Stafford.
Origin & History of the Stockley Family in England
The surname Stockley is a locative name, which means it was originally taken from the name of a specific place. It is derived from the Old English words "stocc," meaning a tree trunk or a stump, and "leah," which refers to a clearing or a meadow. This suggests that the earliest ancestors to carry the name likely lived near a clearing filled with tree stumps. By the year 1568, historical records confirm that members of the Stockley family were well-established in the county of Stafford in England. During this period, families often adopted surnames based on the geography of their local environment to help distinguish themselves in growing communities. As these individuals moved or expanded their households, they carried the name with them, cementing it as a permanent family identifier that reflected their deep connection to the English landscape.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
stocc and leah
Old English for tree trunk or stick and a woodland clearing.
This name
StockleyRefers to a person who lived near a woodland clearing marked by a tree stump.
also spelled
Stokley
Stockly
Stocklie
Related arms
Cheneyrecorded with Stockley, same area
Morreyrecorded with Stockley, same area
Saltrecorded with Stockley, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H. and Wilson, R.M., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1991
Staffordshire Record Office, Diocese of Lichfield: Parish Registers of St Mary, Stafford, 1568
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chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
boarA fierce fighter who battles to the end
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
boarA fierce fighter who battles to the end
