This is a form of a Scottish surname with obscure origins. It may be a form of an English place name (Ansley or Annesley) with elements meaning either "hermitage" or "solitary" and "wood; clearing' meadow." It is often listed as meaning "one's own meadow" in baby name books, the writers of these books have mistaken the Scots word "ain" meaning "own" (as in "my own") as the first element in this name. This is not correct.See Also: Ainsley, Ansley, Aynsley