Kolay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Kolay family lived in Derbyshire, in the area of Cully.
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Early Origins of the Kolay family
The surname Kolay was first found in Norfolk where Hunfrid de Cuelai was listed there in the Domesday Book. 1 However, we must look to the aforementioned reference of Derbyshire to find the earliest land grants for the surname. And Ratcliffe Culey, a hamlet near the border of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, part of the civil parish of Witherley can be ruled out as the origin of the name as the hamlet's first reference was in the 1600's.
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Early History of the Kolay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kolay research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1559, 1606 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kolay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Kolay 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 Culley, Cully, Culy, Culey and others.
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Early Notables of the Kolay family
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kolay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Kolay family to Ireland
Some of the Kolay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Kolay family
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 Kolay or a variant listed above: Samuel Culley who settled in Virginia in 1623; Charles Culley settled in New England in 1748; Edward Cully settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1829; John Culley settled in New York State in 1803.
England
Ireland
