Cromlay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Cromlay family lived in Worcestershire as Lords of the manor of Grimley.
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Early Origins of the Cromlay family
The surname Cromlay was first found in Worcestershire at Grimley, a village and civil parish now in the Malvern Hills District, originally in the union of Martley, Lower division of the hundred of Oswaldslow. An ancient Saxon stronghold, the first listing of the place name was in the 9th century when it was listed as Grimanleage. By the Domesday Book of 1086, the place name had evolved to Grimanleh and consisted of a mill and one half of a fishery of eels. 1 The place name literally means "wood or glade haunted by a spectre or goblin," from the Old English words "grima" + "leah." 2
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Early History of the Cromlay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Cromlay research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the year 1890 is included under the topic Early Cromlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Cromlay 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 Grimley, Grimly, Grimleigh, Grimlie, Grymley and many more.
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Early Notables of the Cromlay family
More information is included under the topic Early Cromlay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Cromlay family to Ireland
Some of the Cromlay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 57 words (4 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 Cromlay 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 Cromlay or a variant listed above: Barnard Grimley settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1864; followed by Owen in 1875.
England
Ireland
