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![Show Contents]() Bentlay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Bentlay is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in one of the many places called Bentley. These included parishes in the counties of Suffolk, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Derby, and Essex, as well as a myriad of small hamlets throughout the counties of England. The surname is derived from Benet-legh which literally means the field of Benedict. Alternatively the name could have come from "Bentley (clearing overgrown with bent grass.)" 1 Early Origins of the Bentlay familyThe surname Bentlay was first found in various parishes throughout England including Suffolk, Hampshire, Warwickshire, Derbyshire, and Essex. 2 The Pipe Rolls of Derbyshire listed William de Benetega in 1176 and William de Benteley was later listed in the Feet of Fines for Warwickshire in 1316-1317, 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 including some of the first mentions of the family: John de Bentelege, Derbyshire; and Roger de Benetlye, Yorkshire. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Alicia de Benteley; and Ricardus de Benteley, "carpentar." 2 Early History of the Bentlay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bentlay research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1600, 1646, 1649, 1652, 1662, 1692, 1693, 1742 and 1896 are included under the topic Early Bentlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Bentlay Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Bentlay 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 Bentlay include: Bentley, Bentli, Bentlie, Bently and others. Early Notables of the Bentlay familyDistinguished members of the family include Richard Bentley (1662-1742), an English theologian, classical scholar and critic. He was the son of Thomas Bentley by his second wife, Sarah Willie, and was born on 27 Jan. 1662 at Oulton, in the parish of Rothwell, near Wakefield, in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "The Bentleys were yeomen of the richer sort. They had been somewhat impoverished by the civil war, in which Bentley's grandfather had served as a royalist captain...
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Bentlay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Bentlay family to Ireland
Some of the Bentlay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Bentlay familyMany 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 Bentlay or a variant listed above: William Bentley who sailed aboard the "Free Love" in 1624 from England, who settled in Virginia; Mary Bentley settled in New England in 1635.
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: Viva ut vivas
Motto Translation: Live that you may live forever.
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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England
Ireland
