The tale of the name Bely begins with a family who lived in Bellie, in Morayshire. The name is a topographic or local surname, which was given to a family who held a barony or lands, had houses, manors or estates in that area. Some think that the name is derived from the occupational name of bailie, but our records cannot confirm that claim. Indeed much of the early records list many of the family in other occupations.
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Early Origins of the Bely family
The surname Bely was first found in Moray, where they held a family seat from very early times.
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Early History of the Bely family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bely research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1598, 1643, 1648, 1650 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Bely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Bely Spelling Variations
Before the first dictionaries appeared in the last few hundred years, scribes spelled according to sound. spelling variations are common among Scottish names. Bely has been spelled Bellie, Belley, Bealie, Beeley, Belley, Bely, Beayly, Beyley, Beilley, Bealy, Bellye, Belly and many more.
Early Notables of the Bely family
Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Bely family
In those unstable times, many had no choice but to leave their beloved homelands. Sickness and poverty hounded travelers to North America, but those who made it were welcomed with land and opportunity. These settlers gave the young nations of Canada and the United States a strong backbone as they stood up for their beliefs as United Empire Loyalists and in the American War of Independence. In this century, the ancestors of these brave Scots have begun to recover their illustrious heritage through Clan societies and other heritage organizations. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Scottish settlers bearing the name Bely: Jo, his wife Ann, and daughter Ann Barbara Bellie all settled in Georgia in 1737; John Bellie settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1754; James Beely settled in Virginia in 1635.
Contemporary Notables of the name Bely (post 1700)
Scotland
