Copley Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Copley last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Copley last name
Meaning of the Copley last name: hill clearing. Copley is an English surname from Copley near Halifax in West Yorkshire, from Old English copp, "hilltop", and leah, "clearing". Painter John Singleton Copley of Boston worked in London, and the Copley Medal of the Royal Society, its oldest award, carries this last name.
Arms associated with the Copley name
In English heraldry, coats of arms associated with the Copley name are described in a blazon, a short formal text.
Get your full Copley family history
This is only a glimpse of the Copley story. The full Copley 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 Copley coat of arms. Get the full Copley report.
Copley name FAQ
What does the Copley name mean?
Hill clearing. Common variants include Coppley.
Where does the Copley surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Copley coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Copley coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).