Weatherly
An English surname probably built from the word “weather,” likely as a nickname or place-name form, though the exact origin is not certain.
The #5,064 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 44,578 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The surname Weatherly is generally taken to be English and is probably connected with the word weather, but the exact formation is uncertain. Some 19th-century surname books place it alongside other names like Weatherstone and Weatherwax, suggesting a descriptive or invented-looking surname based on the same root. It may ultimately reflect a nickname, a place-name, or a later altered spelling of an older form such as Wetherley.
History
The name is recorded in English surname reference works of the 19th and early 20th centuries, where it appears in variant lists rather than always as a fully explained headword. In modern usage it is well established in the English-speaking world, especially in the United States, though the historical line of descent is not securely documented in the excerpts provided.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Several old surname books group Weatherly with other striking “weather” surnames such as Weatherwax, Weatherstone, and Weatherspoon.
From the historical record
“WEATHERLEY WEATHERLY [ V. Wetherley. WEATHERSPOON, v. Wetherspoon. WEATHERSTONE, v. Wetherstone. WEAVER (Eng.) i Cloth-Weaver [M.E. wever{e ; f. M.E. weveit, O.E. wefan, to”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)