Worsley

From either Old English personal name *Weorc, in the genitive case *Weorces + Proto-Brythonic *koɨd (“a wood”) + lēah (“wood clearing, glade”), or else from the feminine personal name *Worcgȳth, genitive singular *Weorcgȳthe + lēah. Also suggested is derivation from Proto-Brythonic *gwor- (“over-, above”) + celli (“grove”), with late Cumbric devoicing being evident in early forms.^[1]

• IPA^(key): /ˈwɜː(ɹ)zli/

Worsley (countable and uncountable, plural Worsleys)

1. A town in the Metropolitan Borough of Salford, Greater Manchester, England (OS grid ref SD9400).
2. A town in the Shire of Collie, Western Australia.
3. A short river in Western Australia, after which the town is named.
4. A hamlet in Clear Hills County, northern Alberta, Canada.
5. A habitational surname from Old English.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Worsley is the 14030^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 2147 individuals. Worsley is most common among White (57.99%) and Black/African American (37.4%) individuals.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Worsley”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 3, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN.

• Lowreys, Rowsley, worsely, yowlers