This interesting name recorded as Pimley and Pimbley is probably of English locational origin from one of the estimated five thousand villages and hamlets that have now disappeared from maps in Britain. The prime cause of these "disappearances" was the enforced "clearing" and dispersal of the former inhabitants to make way for sheep pastures at the height of the wool trade in the 14th century, Natural causes such as the Black Death of 1348, also contributed to the lost village phenomenon. The original placename believed to have been in the county of Lancashire and was composed of the elements "Pim" from the medieval female personal name "Pymme", a short form of "Euphemia", a Greek name meaning "to speak well", and the second element "-ley", from "leah", an Old English pre 7th century word for a clearing in a wood. Early examples of the name recording taken from authentic church registers include the christening of Lawrence Pimley at St. Peter's church, Botton, Lancashire on December 11th 1620, whilst William Pimbley was a christening witness at Billinge, Lancashire, on September 13th 1807. The first recorded spelling of the family name is believed to be that of William Pimley, which was dated February 20th 1584, a christening witness at Farnworth near Prescott in Lancashire. This was during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603.

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