North Yorkshire Surnames

Are these in your tree?

ACKROYD This topographic name derives from the Middle English words ‘ake’ (oak) and ‘royd’ (clearing). AINLEY

Just shy of 90 per cent of all Ainleys recorded in the 1891 census lived in Yorkshire. BARRACLOUGH

This habitational name comes from Barrowclough near Halifax. COCKROFT

There are two sources for this surname in West Yorkshire – Cock Croft in Bingley and Cockcroft in Rishworth. EXLEY

According to surnamedb.com, the

earliest written example was a Halifax parish reference to Edward Exley, 25 May 1572. FEATHER

This occupational name derives from the Middle English ‘fether’, which was given to a trader in feathers/down. HAINSWORTH

This habitational name is from Hainworth, just north of Bradford, which in turn is related to the Old English personal name ‘Hagena’. LONGBOTTOM

The source of this topographic name for someone who lived in a long valley is also common in West Yorkshire.