Elmesley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The lineage of the name Elmesley begins with the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It is a result of when they lived in Yorkshire, where they derived the family name from Helmsley. It was in the West Riding of Yorkshire, but has been lost to modern maps. The place-name was probably derived from the Old English personal name Helm, and ley or leah, which were Old English words for "a clearing in the woods." The translation of the place-name was "clearing belonging to Helm." 1

Early Origins of the Elmesley family

The surname Elmesley was first found in Yorkshire at Helmsley, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the wapentake of Ryedale. The town dates back to the time of Richard I. 2 The Domesday Book of 1086 lists the town as Elmeslac. 3 Helmsley Castle (also known anciently as Hamlake) is a medieval castle originally constructed in wood around 1120 by Walter l'Espec (died 1153.)

In Scotland, many of the family originated in Aberdeenshire where the first record was that of William de Elmysley in 1333. 4 Later, Thomas Elmyslie was burgess in Aberdeenshire in 1498 and William Elmislie was reidare at Rutbven in 1574. 5

Early History of the Elmesley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Elmesley research. Another 223 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1492, 1524, 1567, 1599, 1600, 1686, 1715, 1736, 1738, 1745, 1762, 1774, 1796, 1801, 1802, 1805 and 1825 are included under the topic Early Elmesley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Elmesley Spelling Variations

Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Elmesley has undergone many spelling variations, including Elmslie, Elmsley, Emsley, Elmesley, Helmsley, Emesley, Emesly, Ernele and many more.

Early Notables of the Elmesley family

Notables of the family at this time include John Elmsley (1762-1805), English-born, Chief Justice of Upper Canada (1796-1802) and later of Lower Canada (1802-1805.)Peter Elmsley (1774-1825), was an English classical scholar...
Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Elmesley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Elmesley family

To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Elmesley were among those contributors: Joseph Emsley, who settled in Philadelphia in 1864; John Emsley, who settled in Delaware in 1850; J.J. Emslie, who settled in San Francisco in 1853; Alexander Elmslie, who settled in Philadelphia in 1802.

The Elmesley 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: Prenez garde
Motto Translation: Take care.

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)