Farley Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Farley last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Farley last name
Meaning of the Farley last name: fern clearing. The Farley surname comes from places called Farley or Farleigh, meaning "fern clearing", found across southern and central England, so the last name arose more than once. In Ireland it was also used as an English form of a Gaelic name. A curious detail of this family name meaning: bracken from such clearings was cut for animal bedding and even burned to make soap.
Arms associated with the Farley name
English heralds once toured the counties to check who used a coat of arms, and heraldry associated with the Farley surname belongs to that long tradition.
Get your full Farley family history
This is only a glimpse of the Farley story. The full Farley history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Farley coat of arms. Get the full Farley report.
Farley name FAQ
What does the Farley name mean?
Fern clearing. Common variants include Farleigh, Farly.
Where does the Farley surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Ireland and Australia.
Is there a Farley coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Farley coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland.