Evely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The ancient roots of the Evely family name are in the Anglo-Saxon culture. The name Evely comes from when the family lived in either of the settlements called Everley in Wiltshire or the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Evely belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Evely family

The surname Evely was first found in North Yorkshire at Everley or at Everleigh in Wiltshire. Both are rather old villages. Everley in Yorkshire dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Eurelai 1 and Everleigh in Wiltshire dates back further to Saxon times when it was listed as Eburleagh. Both have similar origins in that they both literally mean "wood or clearing frequented by wild boars," from the Old English words "eofar" + "leah." 2

Everley in Wiltshire "at the time of the heptarchy, was the residence of Ina, King of the West Saxons; it subsequently belonged for many generations to the Plantagenets, dukes of Lancaster, and eventually became vested in the crown, as the property of Henry of Bolingbroke, afterwards Henry IV. " 3

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times: Ailward de Euerlay was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1200 for Warwickshire; William de Everley in Yorkshire in 1247; and William de Euerley in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1346. 4

Further to the north in Scotland, this branch claims descent from "Everley in the North Riding, Yorkshire. Johannes de Euerlay, canon of Dunkeld, was papal commissioner, 1248 and also in 1250-1251 was witness to a charter by Geoffrey, bishop of Dunkeld. As Johannes de Evirlay or Ewerlay he is a charter witness in Perth in reigns of Alexander II and III. He may be Master John de Enerleya (u misread n), apparently a churchman, who attested a charter to Abbey of Culross, c. 1231." 5

Early History of the Evely family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Evely research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1268, 1511, 1554, 1586, 1639 and 1664 are included under the topic Early Evely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Evely Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Evely has appeared include Everley, Eveleigh, Eveley, Evelley, Everlie and others.

Early Notables of the Evely family

Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Evely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Evely family to Ireland

Some of the Evely family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Evely migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Evely arrived in North America very early:

Evely Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Evely, who landed in Maryland in 1675-1680 6

Historic Events for the Evely family +

HMS Repulse

Mr. George S Evely, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 7

Citations +

Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html