Does anyone know what my surname means or where it comes from?

Question: Does anyone know what my surname means or where it comes from!?

It's HartleyWww@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

This information came from http://www!.surnamedb!.com/
Surname: Hartley
This interesting surname, of Anglo-Saxon origin, is a locational name from any of the various places so called!. Several, in particular those in Hampshire, Kent and Devonshire, derive their names from the Olde English pre 7th Century "heort", hart, plus "leah" meaning "wood" or "clearing"!. The one in Northumberland derives its second element from the Olde English "hlaw" meaning "hill", and the one in Cumberland contains the Olde English "cla", claw, in the sense of a tongue of land between two streams, with an uncertain first element!. The surname is widely distributed, but it is especially popular in Yorkshire!. The surname dates back to the late 12th Century (see below)!. Further recordings include one Nicholas de Hertlegh in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Somerset!. Variations in the idiom of the spelling include Hartly and Harteley!. One Joane Hartley married William Egerton in 1547, at St!. Peter's, Westcheap, London, and Christopher, son of Edward Hartley, was christened on October 28th 1561, at St!. Michael's, Bassishaw, also in London!. Mary Hartley, a famine emigrant, sailed from Liverpool aboard the "A!. Lawrence" bound for New York on April 17th 1846!. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de Hertlay, which was dated 1191, in the "Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire", during the reign of King Richard 1, known as "The Lionheart", 1189 - 1199!. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation!. In England this was known as Poll Tax!. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling!.
The information below came from www!.ancestry!.com
Hartley Name Meaning and History
English (mainly northern): habitational name from any of various places so called!. Several, in particular those in Hampshire, Kent, and Devon, are named from Old English heorot ‘hart’, ‘stag’ + leah ‘wood’, ‘clearing’!. One in Northumberland has as the second element Old English hlaw ‘hill’, and one in Cumbria contains Old English cla ‘claw’, in the sense of a tongue of land between two streams, + probably heard ‘hard’!. The surname is widely distributed, but most common in Yorkshire, where it arose from a place near Haworth, West Yorkshire, also named with Old English heorot + leah!. As a Scottish name, it comes from the Cumbrian Hartley (see forebears note)!.
Irish: shortened Anglicized form of or surname adopted as equivalent of Gaelic ó hArtghaile ‘descendant of Artghal’, a personal name composed of the elements Art ‘bear’, ‘hero’ + gal ‘valor’!.
Hope this helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

The surname 'HARTLEY' appears to have its origins in the peoples of the British Isles and Ireland and is now found across the world!.

But is it derived from a place name !? from an occupation !? or was it a surname brought to this country from mainland Europe by Vikings, Saxons or Normans !?

Most surnames seem to have their origins since Norman times !.!.!. there were surnames during pre-Norman Britain and Ireland but records don't reveal much, though some names have been proved to have survived since Saxon or even earlier times!. Often surnames are linked to places, distinctive looks and trades!. William the butcher would have become William Butcher, James with brown hair would have become James Brown, John of York would have become John York etc!.

By 1400 the use of surnames was widespread!. New names developed and some were introduced through continued immigration!. Some names have changed over time, either the spelling, or through the use of an alias!. Using records, it is often possible to trace a surname back to the 15thC and beyond, but you have to bear in mind changes that may have occured, for example, 'Hartley' may have once been recorded as 'Artley', 'Hurtley', 'Hartly' and so on !.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Decided to post this google link, as there are many interesting sites on your name!.
http://www!.google!.co!.uk/search!?hl=en&q=o!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Origin:
English

Meaning:
Hart woodWww@QuestionHome@Com

Yeah, yr grandfather invented fly fishing!.!.!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

sounds very jammy to meWww@QuestionHome@Com

What about Pilcher, Rucker, or Miner!?Www@QuestionHome@Com