The following is extracted from an e-mail written by Jack Handley on a Handley Genealogy forum:

Subject: Handley's in England
Author: Jack Handley Date: 28 Jan 2000 12:46 PM GMT

There are about 11 villages in England called Handley or Hanley. Three of the earliest recorded are in the Domesday Book are Derbyshire just south of Sheffield Handley nr Staveley or Middle Handley, and Handley nr Stretton. Handley families are found in Yorkshire at the edge of the Pennines in the East from Masham , Wath in Dearn, Sheffield, Wakefield and Ashbounre and on the East Side in Sedbergh Bradford Stoke on Trent, Stafford and around Handley just outside Chester. The next large group is in Worcestershire around Pershore and Handley (1560) or nowdays Hanley Castle. Handley are found in Lincolnshire and just south of Nottingham at Newell Grange and in Liecester. A Handley family is found in Warwick but this could be related to the group at Masham in Yorkshire. Further to the east a Handley family was found at Haddenham in Cambridgeshire and just south of Royston in Bedfordshire. The last large group of families maybe from Handley Green and lives in Maldon in Essex. This seafaring group has issued a doucument listing all the known families in the area.

1175 The earliest recorded person is Gilbert de Hanley of Hanley Hall Pershore Worcestershire.

1218-9 Lawrence Agatha de Hanlaye were involved in a court case about a tenerment in Weathercroft against Michael of Newhall Grange in a plea of assise and Roger le Depenser.

1254-8 Nicholas Handlow of Essex is listed as Chief Justiciciares as Judge of the Kings Bench and Judge of the comman pleas he was made Lord Handlo and lived at Boars Hall nr Brill in Buckinghamshire.

13/1/1285 Hugh de Hannerley arrested for assult at Wakefield.

20/9/1292 William de Hanley of Monk Rowley Abbey listed as a scholar at Oxford University.

1301 Richard Handay 2 bovates of land 26s 8d at Kirkus near Driffield in Yorkshire.

1310-11 Edward son of Edward Hanlai of Wandesford son and heir of Henry Hanlai of 3 and half acres.

1367-70 Thomas Hanlaye at Merton College at Oxford University.

1378-79 Poll Tax John Hannerley at Ravenstonedale in Westmorland Billo Handlay at Wath in Dearne.

Also for 200 hundred years from 1380 a Handley Family is listed as tenants in Wath on Dearne stating with Ro to John to John to Billi to John to John.

John de Hanley is listed at Hooton Roberts between 1383-1430.

10/7/1412 Robert Wolverden canon of the free church free chapel of St George in the castle of Wyndsore of the free church of Tatenhale in the diocese of Lichfield on exchance of benifices with Thomas Hanley.

19/6/1436 Robert Hanley vicar of Kildwich at the death of Thomas Actate 19/4/1437 in a will From Dugdale Visitations to Yorkshire.

Thomas Constable of Halsham married Margaret Hanley 2/1/1432 dau of Sir Thomas Hanley and had thrre children Robert John and Michael.

In the Sheffield Court Rolls John de Hanneley 8/10/1440 is listed as having illegally brewed and sold ale and fined 2 pence, and Hanleys are doucumented in the Court Rolls for the next 220 years.

Roger Hanley or Handeley of Worcester diocese at Oriel College 1465-7 graduated 24/3/1467 Ma 1470 and in a room as senior proctor rented from University College Fellow 21/12/1471 Vicar of Kempston Gloucestershire 23/2/1472 rector of Tenby presented by the Abbot of St Albans at the insistance of Humphrey Duke of Gloucester ( King Richard 2 brother ) died 6/9/1484.

In the patent Rolls I 23/7/1482 talks of inquistion taken before Thomas Hanley excheator in the county of Worcestshire. Later Henry 7th grants a general pardon to John Hanley the late kings servant (Richard III).

The 1500 are marked by the start of parish registers in 1538 but the early one were on paper made from textiles and many have been lost or damaged. In 1600 these were written on parchment and copies sent to the Bishop as Transcripts which have proved to be more durable. Wills from this period have been kept in county archives. Also miltary records exist called the Muster Rolls listing all able men from 16-48 and the Lay subsidies.

Wills at York list Robert de Hanlith in Lincoln in 13/10/1260.

1593 Christopher Handley Scorbie Nottinghamshire and 1596 John, 1597 Matthew at Scobie 3/5/1603 Robert Handley at Newark and 4/41614 his son Robert at Changston Newark 21/7/1617 Isabell at York, 8/11/1622 Geffrey at York 29/7/1596 Nicholas at Ecclesfield Doncaster yorks. 1622 Christopher Handley at Bishopsdale a large family has existed in this area from 1300 to the present day.

Wills At Chester people are listed at Mansfield 1611, Manchester 1611, Alvenley 1677, Bolton 1609 Breadburgh 1595.

Wills at Canterbury list Handley in London 1656.

There are about 10,000 Handleys in England Wales and Scotland and the population growth is as follows.