Diley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

It was among those Anglo-Saxon tribes that once ruled over Britain that the name Diley was formed. The name was derived from the baptismal name meaning the son of Dilk. The surname was originally of Dutch origin and was brought into England during the Norman Conquest of 1066. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Diley family

The surname Diley was first found in Warwickshire. "Maxstoke Castle is the property of Capt. Thomas Dilke, R.N., a descendant of Sir Thomas Dilke, who purchased it in the 41st of Elizabeth from Sir Thomas Egerton, keeper of the great seal: the buildings occupy an irregular quadrilateral area, inclosed by an embattled wall, and defended at the angles by octagonal towers, and are in a fine state of preservation." 1

Other early records of the family include: Geoffrey Dylle who was in Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year's reign of Edward III), 2 and the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Alan Dille in Cambridgeshire and Robert Dille in Buckinghamshire. 3

Further to the north in Scotland, "Thomas dictus Dyll witnessed a charter by John Skinner, burgess of Inverness, c. 1360 and Marjorie dicta Dyll held land in Inuernys, 1361." 4

Early History of the Diley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Diley research. Another 48 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1624, 1633, 1635, 1667, 1692 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Diley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diley Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Diley include Dilke, Dilkes, Dilks, Dilley, Dill, Dillow and others.

Early Notables of the Diley family

Distinguished members of the family include Roger Delk (Dilke, Delke, or Dilk) (died before 1635) English-born, representative for Stanley's Hundred in the House of Burgesses. He traveled from England to Virginia aboard the ship "Southampton" in 1624. He was indentured to John Chew and employed in 1624 on his plantation on Hog Island. He rose to represent the Stanley Hundred...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Diley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Diley migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Diley Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Diley, Sr., British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Tuscan" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th September 1842 5
Mr. Diley, Jr., British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Tuscan" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 28th September 1842 5

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html