by Jim Young (guest)
6/21/2009, 7:16 AM
Are you referring to Finningley, Yorkshire? It certainly appears to be a Yorkshire name. It's a rare surname, which probably explains its being ignored by writers on surnames, and means that early examples of the name are not forthcoming.
I would hazard a guess that Posliff derives from some minor (or lost?) place name, something like ?Postcliff.
A useful source for early forms of Yorkshire surnames is the Yorkshire Archaeological Journal, volumes 5,6,7,9 and 20, in which are published the Poll Tax returns for the West Riding of Yorkshire in the year 1379. You might find copies of the journal in a reference library.