Clewley - Meno

This very interesting name is apparently locational from some place in Cheshire which is no longer recorded. The original medieval spellings are given as Clewlowe and Clulowind, the modern variants of the name are Clewley, Clulee, Clulow, Cluley and Cluelow, suggesting that the origination is Olde English and translates as "the dwellers on the steep hill" (clef-hlaw) or possibly the steep, windy hillside, not an unreasonable description for parts of Cheshire. There are some seven thousand former villages which are now lost, and 'Clewlowe' would seem to be one of them. The name development has included: Clulowind (1655, Prestbury), Clewlow (1755 Wilmslow) and Clulow (1764 Chester). The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Clewlowe. which was dated 1645, Baptised at Macclesfield, Cheshire. during the reign of King Charles 1, known as "The Martyr" 1625 - 1649. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.