Guild of One-Name Studies
One-name studies, Genealogy
Study: Hurley   
Variants: Hurdle, Hurdley, Hurle, Hurlie, Hurlye
Category: 3 - A study where research using core genealogical datasets and transcriptions is well under way on a global basis.
Contact: Mr Michael Hurley
For those of Irish origins the surname is an anglicised form of two Gaelic patronymics, O' hUirthile descendant of Uirthile and O' Muirthile, anglicised to Murhilla through Murley to Hurley. The first family are mainly found in County Limerick while the other belong to Cork. The Erleigh family below held land in Kilkenny, Ireland.
My own DNA shows an exact match with a Skinner family from Oklahoma. The earliest American record is circa 1775 for William John Skinner.
My direct ancestor, Andrew Hurley, (5 times grandfather) was born about the time of the Monmouth rebellion, 1685. He married Sarah Criddle in 1712 at Nether Stowey. Every Somerset Parish has been unsuccessfully searched for Andrew’s baptism and also for an Andrew Skinner.
My theory; the Skinner family can be found around Brompton Ralph and Crowcombe, so it’s likely that Andrew Hurley was illegitimate, with a Skinner as a father. He may have lived with a very large Hurley family in Brompton Ralph and taken the Hurley surname. Criddle Farm, his wife’s maiden name, is situated opposite Brompton Ralph church.