Modley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales
Ireland

The Modley surname comes from when the Modley family lived in the settlement of Medlicott in the English border county of Shropshire. The surname Modley belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Modley family

The surname Modley was first found in Shropshire, at Medlicott, a parish in Wentnor. It is generally believed that the oldest record of the family was Llewelyn de Modlicott who resided here c. 1180. He was son of Sir Roger de Meldron (died c. 1200.)

By the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, some of the family were found in Devonshire where Richard de Middlecote was listed as holding lands at that time. 1 "The ancient Shropshire family of Medlicott, which took its name from a manor, flourished in the 13th century. The Medlycott family of Ven House, Milborne Port, Somerset, originally came from Shropshire." 2

Early History of the Modley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Modley research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1586, 1593 and 1625 are included under the topic Early Modley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Modley Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Modley have included Medlicot, Medlicott, Medlycot, Medlycott, Medlicote, Medleycot, Medleycott, Medleycote, Modlicot, Modlicote and many more.

Early Notables of the Modley family

More information is included under the topic Early Modley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Modley family to Ireland

Some of the Modley 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.

Modley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Modley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Modley, (b. 1813), aged 23, English convict who was convicted in Devon, England for life for stealing, transported aboard the "Elphinstone" on 20th January 1836, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), he died in 1844 3

The Modley Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Dat cura quietem
Motto Translation: Vigilance ensures tranquility.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elphinstone