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Surname Graveley - Meaning and Origin

all surnames with 'G'

Graveley: What does the surname Graveley mean?

The surname Graveley is thought to have originated in England. This common surname is an occupational name for a person who worked as an orchard keeper or farmed farmlands with fruit trees. The name itself is a compound name combined of two old Anglo-Saxon words, ‘graef’ meaning ‘grave’ and ‘leah’ meaning a clearing in a wood or a small enclosed meadow.

The surname Graveley can be found from the late 19th century onwards predominantly in the West Midlands and local areas of Herefordshire and Gloucestershire. Records indicate that the early spellings of the surname originated from travelling tinkers of the area in the Cotswolds.

The use of the surname Graveley may also be linked to those who lived at or near a grange, a name for a large estate owned by a person of nobility or a religious order. An example of this is of a John Graveley who received a grant of land in 1284 from the local Lord of the Manor, named Gravelinghe in the county of Herefordshire. Records suggest the families who bore this name have played an important part in the areas near their original homelands throughout their history.

Today the surname Graveley is still present in England as predominantly an English name although the name is known to be found in other English speaking countries such as Australia, Canada and the United States of America.

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Graveley: Where does the name Graveley come from?

The last name Graveley is most commonly found today in England. Graveley is a locational surname derived from the place of the same name that is found in the county of Hertfordshire. The place name comes from the Old English grof, meaning grove, and leah, meaning woodland clearing. It appears to have been in use since at least the Viking Age. Graveley is a very small village that is made up mostly of farms and houses. Census records from the 19th century show that, at the time, the population of Graveley was primarily employed in agricultural work. Graveley is also the place of origin for many members of the House of Lords, including the Barons Willoughby de Eresby, the Earl of Portarlington, and the Baroness Ravensdale. The surname Graveley is not particularly common today but can still be found in parts of England, particularly in Hertfordshire and neighboring counties.

Variations of the surname Graveley

Graveley is an English surname that is derived from the placename Grafley, which is located in the West Midlands. It is a toponymic name, meaning it was taken from a place name. Variants of the Graveley surname include Graffley, Graffly, Gravilley, Gravely, and Gravelly. Many variants of the surname Graveley have been formed over time due to dialectal differences and phonetic spelling. For example, ‘ff’ can often be pronounced and spelt interchangeably as ‘ve’. This is why Graffley often becomes Graveley, and vice versa.

Spelling/dialectal variants of Graveley that you may come across include Grafley, Gravilley, Graeffley, Gravley, Gravly, Graelley, Gabley, Graefley, Geveley, Gevilley, Geffley, and Gaffley. Surnames of the same origin include Grively, Gravil, Grael, and Graey.

The Graveley surname is fairly widespread across England and appears mainly in the West Midlands, south to London, and east to the Norfolk area. It is likely that some Graveley families have moved throughout England over the centuries, and so this would explain the geographical spread of the surname.

Famous people with the name Graveley

  • Keith Graveley, Harlem-based photographer and author of the book, ‘Harlem: the Unauthorized Portraits’.
  • Charles Graveley, an international award-winning Canadian writer, director, and actor.
  • Wilfred Graveley, a two-time Olympic medalist in diving.
  • Vivienne Graveley, an English songwriter and singer, best known for her collaborations with other heavyweights in the music industry, such as Ray Charles and Tom Jones.
  • Leslie Graveley, a professional swimmer and 12 time Canadian champion in freestyle and butterfly events.
  • Anna Graveley, a multi-instrumentalist, singer, and songwriter from New Zealand.
  • William Graveley, an American colonel and a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
  • Owen Graveley, an English professional footballer.
  • Rachel Graveley, a former prominent American television producer and screenwriter.
  • Louis Graveley, an officer in the United States Navy and recipient of the Navy Cross.

Other surnames

GravelineGravelleyGravely

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