Beardsley
A place-based surname, probably meaning “from Bardsley” or a similar English locality name.
The #5,048 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 44,424 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Beardsley is generally treated as a locational surname, tied to an English place-name rather than to the word beard. The historical references point to forms such as Bardsley or Buwardsley, suggesting a development from a local name in Lancashire or Cheshire. The first element is likely an old personal name or place-name element, while the second element is the common Old English suffix -ley, meaning a clearing or woodland glade.
History
19th-century surname writers place Beardsley especially in Derbyshire and nearby northern counties, which fits a northern English place-name origin. The spelling has clearly shifted over time, with Beardsley appearing alongside Bardsley and related forms in historical notices. In the United States it became established through later English and British migration.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The surname is not originally about facial hair; despite its modern spelling, it is probably a place-name surname.
From the historical record
“Manchester, x. Beardsley, Beardfliee ; v. Bardsley. Beare. — Local ; v. Beer.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)