Our Family Origin and Name per David Lindsley's (citing 'Connecticut Linsley - The Six Johns'; John M. Lindley and Ray Keyes Linsley) notes:

"What really interests us today, is that the references given our name show that Lindley was a name of a location. Lind was Old English for the lime tree, was so used by Chaucer, and Ley or Lea, was a field. So the name Lindley, means The Limetree Field, and was very likey applied to a man who lived in a field of Lime Trees and was applied to a number of localities in England. John M. Lindley showed two in Yorkshire, one in Shropshire, and one in Wiltshire, in the long ago days, and there were others later.
From: Connecticut Linsley - The Six Johns, quoting a paragraph from the Lindley Book by John M. Lindley
And from Henry Ellis' introductions to Domesday Book, we learn that as early as 1086 under William the Conqueror, there were Lindleys mentioned, but none seem to appear before that. And from that date down the years the name in various spellings appear in various parts of England, but Yorkshire appears to have been the original home. Some from here were given high rank, and a coat of arms. Some of the lines died out, and with the many changes in spelling, it is very questionable as to who is who today.
We find in England, Lynley, Linllies, Lyndsley, Lindly, Lindley, Linley, Lindsey, Lindsay, Linsey, etc. Are these all the same family? It may well be questioned, but on this side we find as many and we find statements that families here changed, because someone thought a certain spelling was right, and others as they wanted to be different, so it is very hard now to say what was correct 900 years ago.
By the year 1639, when our ancestor is reported as coming to Connecticut, the name in many spellings are not much like the Lindley, we may question if they are related. Lindsay is said to be an entirely different name. It may be only a misspelling.
So it became a question as to what part of England John and Francis (his brother) came from. Two historians of early Connecticut, Cothren and Atwater disagree. The first says from southwest of London, the other northwest. I have a copy of a letter by Joel Lindsley, a descendant of Francis, written in 1896, in which he states it as his belief they came from County Durham, away in the north of England, and Atwater in his early New Haven history, believes that John came with Henry Witfield's company in 1639 and settled in Guilford. This company was largely from Kent, Sussex, and Surry, all in the south of England, but he did have some from other parts, Cambridgeshire, Huntingtonshire, Leicestershire, and London, and perhaps others.
Unfortunately, our John and Francis were not important enough to be recorded as some were. But we know certain facts from records on this side to which any comers from the other side must fit to be John and Francis. And in my efforts to dig up facts, many records from various parts of England show they cannot apply to our John and Francis. However, I have found one family that may be. I do not say it is. I say only it may be. John and Francis were very common names among the family in old England. Thomas and Richard seemed to be perhaps among the first mentioned and were also very common. So wherever we look for records, we find these names, also Ralph, Phillip, William, George, and Christopher.
It is my belief John and Francis may have come from Althorpe in Lincolnshire, as from all facts I can so far get, they seem to disappear there, and appear here, and all seems to fit into one picture. But there seems still to be lacking the actual record to show they are the same boys.
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Here is the copy of a will that may be the key to our ancestry in old England:

'Archidiaconal Court of Stow Wills 1640-1650, i, folio 24'

26 Feb 1639
I John Linsey of Althorpe victualler
My bodye to be buryed in the church or church yard of Althorpe

To Anne Linsey my wyfe all that my house in Althorpe wth the croft adioyneinge wth all and singuler thappurtenances thereto belonginge for her life and after to be and remaine vnto Richard Linsey and Francis Linsey sonnes of me and the above said Anne my wyfe and to their heires and for want of issue of them the sd Richard and Francis Linsey then to be and remaine vnto John Linsey and Thomas Linsey my sonnes by a former venter and if it happen that all my sd foure sonnes shall dye wthout yssue then the foresd premisses to be and remaine vnto Anne Linsey my daughter and to her heires for euer
To John Linsey my sonne £ 30 to be paid him when he shall accomplish the age of seaven and twentye
To Thomas Linsey my sonne £ 30 to be paid him when he shall accomplish the age of tow and twentye yeares
To Anne Linsey my daughter (under 21) £ 30
To Richard Linsey and Francis Linsey my sonnes £ 17 wch is in their granmothers hand to be equallye devided betwixt them
All the rest of my goods I give vnto Anne Linsey my wife and Francis Linsey my sonne and doe make them executors
I doe appoint supravisrs Will'm Morrison and Thomas Maston

Debtes oweing by ths testator
To Mr Wm Tharrot £ 10
To Will'm Ambye 19s.
To Mr Wm Browne £ 1 2s.
----------------------
Summe £ 12 1s.
sign'
Joh'i Linsey
Witnesses here to Will: Jaques Will'i sign
sign' Morrison
Thom' . . . . . . . . l

Proved at Gainsburgh 9 . . . . . . . . . l ber 1644, by the oath of Anne Linsey executrix, resrving power to grant to Francis Linsey the other executor when he shall come..."