Flay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

There are several possible origins for the distinguished surname Flay. Firstly, the name may be derived from "Flée," the name of a place in the Cote-d'Or in France; in this case, the name would mean "one from Flée," and would have been brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. Alternatively, the name may be derived from the Old English "fleah," meaning "flea"; in this instance, it is likely that the name was bestowed on the original bearer as a nickname.

Early Origins of the Flay family

The surname Flay was first found in the southern counties of England. The earliest known bearer of the name was William Fleie, who was listed in the Feodarium Prioratus Dunelmensis of 1233.

Early History of the Flay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Flay research. Another 94 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1233, 1332, 1620 and 1642 are included under the topic Early Flay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Flay Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Flay, Flaye, Fleay and others.

Early Notables of the Flay family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Flay, a doctor of physics from Exeter, and Robert Flay (c.1620), who was granted the family coat of arms in Devon

Flay migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Flay or a variant listed above:

Flay Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Flay, who landed in Virginia in 1664 1

Flay 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:

Flay Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Charles Flay, aged 25, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 2
Mary Flay, aged 24, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 2
Elizabeth Flay, aged 2, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 2
James Flay, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bombay" in 1865 2

Citations +

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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 7th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html