Athey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The distinguished surname Athey is Ango-Saxon in origin. It is derived from the Old English "gehaeg", meaning "dweller at the enclosure" and was most likely originally borne by someone living within an enclosure. 1

Most sources agree on this origin, but one differs: "This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Adam,' from the colloquial Addy. This was sharpened into Atty." 2

Early Origins of the Athey family

The surname Athey was first found in Cambridgeshire, where Lecia Ateheye was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. 1

While this is the first entry in early rolls, another source notes that Gerard de Atie, and Engelard, his nephew, were chief supporters of King John who reigned between from 1199 to 1216. 3

Early History of the Athey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Athey research. Another 84 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1379, 1388 and 1568 are included under the topic Early Athey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Athey Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Athey are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Athey include: Athy, Athey, Atha, Atty, Attey and others.

Early Notables of the Athey family

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

Athey Ranking

In the United States, the name Athey is the 9,164^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Athey family to Ireland

Some of the Athey family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Athey migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Athey or a variant listed above:

Athey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

George Athey, who landed in Maryland in 1674 5

Athey Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Athey, who settled in Virginia in 1732

Contemporary Notables of the name Athey (post 1700) +

Edward L. Athey (1921-2010), American sports coach and athletic director at Washington College
Tyras Snowden "Bunk" Athey (1927-2010), American politician, Member of the Maryland House of Delegates (1975-1993) and (1967-1974), Maryland Secretary of State (1993-1995)
Clifford L. "Clay" Athey (b. 1960), American politician and jurist, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates (2002-2012)
Edward C. Athey, American politician, Mayor of Cumberland, Maryland (1992-2000)
Robert Leland Athey, American author of military history and true crime novels
Susan Athey (b. 1970), American economist, former professor of economics at Harvard University, current Economics of Technology Professor at the Stanford Graduate School of Business, the first female winner of the John Bates Clark Medal
Ron Athey (b. 1961), American performance artist associated with body art and with extreme performance art
Tyrus S. Athey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Maryland, 1996 6
Robert A. Athey (1825-1901), American politician, Mayor of Covington, Kentucky, 1874-91 6
Irving T. Athey, American politician, Mayor of Keyser, West Virginia, 1977-82 6
... (Another 2 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Athey 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: Duci et non trahi
Motto Translation: To be led and not dragged.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html