Surname Coberley - Meaning and Origin
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Coberley: What does the surname Coberley mean?
The surname Coberley is a location-based surname, believed to have originated from Coberley, a hamlet and civil parish in the Cotswold district of Gloucestershire, near the village of Daglingworth. It is derived from the Old English ‘cobor’ meaning ‘enclosure’, and ‘leah’ meaning ‘woodland clearing’, thus indicating an area of land that was once covered by trees then cleared for cultivation.
The first recorded use of the Coberley surname is believed to have occurred in the mid 1200s. Records show that one William de Conburley was granted a knight's fee of land in 1274, and in 1280 his son, Ralph, was appointed rector of Coberley church. It is likely that both of these men were of Norman descent, perhaps having come to reside in Gloucestershire following the Norman invasion of 1066.
Since the 13th century, Coberley has been a widely used surname throughout the UK. Its modern day spellings include Cobley, Cobleigh, Cawkley, Coberly, Coberlee and Coberly. It remains a rather uncommon surname, with most surnames of the same name (or spelling variant) being concentrated around the Cotswold region of England.
Regardless of the spelling, the surname Coberley continues to be an important part of history and heritage. It is a reminder of a once wooded area, now open to cultivation, and of the generations prior to us who were connected to the land.
Order DNA origin analysisCoberley: Where does the name Coberley come from?
The last name Coberley is most commonly found in the United States, though it may have had its origin in England. In the U.S., the states with the highest concentrations of people named Coberley are Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Alabama. The highest concentration is found in Pennsylvania, where Coberleys make up 0.0014% of the population.
The earliest Coberleys in America arrived in the 1650s and early 1700s, and came from England to a variety of locations, including Maryland, Virginia, New York and New England. As time passed, they moved further inland and began to be found in states such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Indiana and Ohio.
Today, most Coberleys are found in the Midwest and on the East Coast of the United States. They primarily occupy small towns or rural areas, and are most commonly found in the states mentioned above. Coberleys who moved westward can also be found in California and Washington.
As far as international history is concerned, there have been Coberleys in England since at least the 1600s, though the majority of them seem to have left for the United States by the late 1800s. There are still some Coberleys living in England today, especially in the south and southeast of the country.
In summary, the Coberley surname is most common in the states of Pennsylvania, Michigan, Ohio, West Virginia, and Alabama, all located in the United States. It is also strongly represented in England, even though the majority of its holders have moved to the United States since the 1600s.
Variations of the surname Coberley
The surname Coberley can be a variant spelling of the surname Cobleigh, or the name can be spelled as Cobley, Cobly, Coble, Coblee, Cobble, and Coblee.
The origin of the Coberley surname is most likely derived from the English word "coble," which is a boat typically used in coastal areas.
Other spellings or surnames of the same origin for this surname include Cobbarley, Coble, Coblee, Cobleigh, Cobbley, Cobble, Cobblee, Cobbley, Cobblie, Cobbly, Cobebley, Cobee, Cobley, Cobly, Cobby, Coblett, Cobblett and Copbles.
This surname was first found in Gloucestershire, England where they were playfully described as having descended from a boatman dwelling on the River Severn. Early records then show the Coberley name as a parish in the county of Gloucestershire which are closely linked to the family of Coberley. The variations in spelling of the Coberley family name resulted in more branches of the name being formed, and included the Cobble family name.
The spelling of names over the centuries has been one which is subjected to continuous variations, it is very common for a family to become two separate entities advocating different spellings of the same original name.
Famous people with the name Coberley
- Everett Coberley: Famous for his work in theoretical chemistry and quantum mechanics. He was a professor at the University of California at Berkeley and is particularly known for his contributions to the theory of excitons, which are critical components for understanding the physical features of semiconductor materials.
- John Coberley: John was a British actor, who was popular during the mid-20th century. He starred in numerous feature films, often in the role of the love interest. He appeared in classics such movies as "The Pickwick Papers" and "Doctor Zhivago".
- Kenneth J. Coberley Jr.:An American lawyer and businessman. He has served on the board of directors of several companies, such as Mattson Technology, Inc., Science Applications International Corporation and the Robertson Foundation.
- Wilfred Coberley: Wilfred was an Australian politician, who served as a minister in multiple governments during the post-WWII era, before serving as Prime Minister from 1957–1968.
- Robert Coberley: An American artist, he was an essential member of the Color Field painting movement of the 1950s. He was credited with helping to expand the boundaries of abstract art, and he was nicknamed the “King of the Color Field."