Show ContentsDuley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Duley surname is generally thought to derive from a place name, perhaps Pont Doylly, or Duilly in Normandy. Alternatively, the Oyler, Ollier and similar spellings could have been derived from the English occupational name for an extractor or seller of oil having derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "olier" from "oile." In northern England linseed oil was commonly derived from flax and used as a substitute for olive oil. [1]

Early Origins of the Duley family

The surname Duley was first found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, [2] indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Eynsham held by Columban, a Norman noble as under tenant of the Bishop of Lincoln who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. His overlord was Robert d'Ouilli.

Early History of the Duley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Duley research. Another 182 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1071, 1073, 1120, 1129, 1354, 1542, 1573, 1576, 1577, 1585, 1605, 1614, 1616, 1633, 1640, 1641, 1663, 1666, 1677, 1709 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Duley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Duley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Doyley, D'Oyley, Doyle, D'Oyle, Doylee, Doley, Duley, Duly, Duely, Dueley, Ollie, Oyler, Oylie, D'Oyly, Olley, Oulley, Oullie, Ollie, Owley, Oyly, Oilli, Oiley, L'Oyle and many more.

Early Notables of the Duley family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Thomas D'Oyley (fl. 1585), English antiquary, the second son of Sir Henry D'Oyly, knight, of Pondhall in the parish of Hadleigh, Suffolk; Robert D'Oyley (1542-1577) of Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, who was Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1573; and Sir Cope Doyley (d. 1633), who inherited Hambleden Manor, Buckinghamshire in...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Duley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Duley Ranking

In the United States, the name Duley is the 9,847th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [3]


United States Duley migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Duley Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas J Duley, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, in 1892
  • Annie Duley, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States, in 1893
  • F.J. Duley, aged 29, who settled in America, in 1893
Duley Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • H.M. Duley, aged 41, who landed in America, in 1905
  • Herbert M. Duley, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
  • Samuel Duley, aged 60, who landed in America from Gonrock, Scotland, in 1912
  • William Duley, aged 15, who settled in America, in 1919
  • Weldon Duley, aged 50, who landed in America, in 1920

Canada Duley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Duley Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Magarete Duley, aged 23, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1918
  • Nelson Duley, aged 30, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1922
  • Phinie Duley, aged 55, who settled in St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1922
  • Cyril Duley, aged 24, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1924
  • Phena Duley, aged 57, who immigrated to St. John's, Newfoundland, in 1924

Contemporary Notables of the name Duley (post 1700) +

  • Giles Duley (b. 1971), British documentary photographer and photojournalist
  • Margaret Iris Duley (1894-1968), Newfoundland's first novelist
  • Mark Duley, New Zealand choral director and organist


  1. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/


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