Ensley Family History

Americanized form of German Ensli or Ensle pet forms of Anselm or Ernst. English: possibly a habitational name from Ingestre (Staffordshire). The placename which clearly gave rise to a medieval surname shows various irregular developments over the centuries, an intrusive -l- being one of them.

The origin of the placename is uncertain, though the initial element may be a derivative of Latin angustiæ ‘the narrows’, which would become engyst under Brittonic influence and the final element may be from the river Trent. This would be topographically appropriate as the river Trent becomes narrow near Ingestre.

English: perhaps a variant of Ilsley with dissimilation of l-l to n-l or a variant of Hinchley from Hinchcliffe with development of -cliff via -liff to -ley.