This interesting name is a very good example of how modern spellings are very misleading. The name would seem to mean "The Mill (Queen) in the enclosure (leah)", whereas in fact, the development is from the Norman-French "Carnal" meaning "a battlement" and is a job descriptive medieval word for a Crossbowman who operated from the battlements. The name development as "Kernley" would seem to be from Carnal or Carnell, though Carnelley also appears as Corneley. William de la Kernel is first recorded in 1244 at the Abbey of Ramsey, Cambridge and this would seem to be the origination. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Joseph Kernley. which was dated 1691, Married Ann Callow at Solihull. during the reign of William and Mary, The Joint Monarchs, 1689 - 1694. 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.