Kingsley
ˈkɪŋzli
proper noun
Origin
Old English
cynges + leah — king's + meadow/clearing/wood
Overview
Meaning Now
- A surname of Old English origin, originally denoting someone who lived in or near a king's meadow or wood.
- A masculine given name derived from the surname.
Literal older meaning
King's meadow or king's wood
Language path
Old English → Middle English → English
Earliest form
Cyngesleah
Earliest period
11th century
Journey
The name originates as a locational surname referring to various places in England named Kingsley, such as those in Cheshire or Hampshire. In the 19th and 20th centuries, it evolved from a habitational name into a popular given name in English-speaking cultures.
Evolution
- Old English
Cyngesleah
“King's meadow”
- Middle English
Kingesleie
“King's meadow”
- Modern English
Kingsley
“Surname/Given name”
Connections
Word parts
king
root
monarch
sley
root
meadow or woodland clearing
Related across languages
Old Norse
konungr
king
German
König
king
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Related to Kingsley
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.