Show ContentsGantly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Gantly comes from when the family resided in the village of Cantley in either the counties of Norfolk or Yorkshire. Both parishes date back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were known as Cantelai (in Norfolk) and Canatela (South Yorkshire.) 1

Early Origins of the Gantly family

The surname Gantly was first found in Norfolk, where Wimer de Cantele was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1198. 2 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include Rogerus de Cantelay as holding lands there at that time. 3A very rare name the next entry we found was in 1581 where Peter Cantley was listed as a Freeman of York. 2

In Scotland, the family is from "the Yorkshire place of the name. William Cantuli was admitted burgess of Aberdeen, 1452, and William Cantuly or Cantuli held land there before 1497. Andrew Cantly was admitted burgess in 1508. Master John Cantly or Cantely appears as archdeacon of St. Andrews, 1524 ant 1541. Gilbert Cantlie, witness in Shetland, 1626." 4

Early History of the Gantly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gantly research. Another 170 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1198, 1379, 1452, 1500, 1581, 1626, 1790, 1797, 1806 and 1854 are included under the topic Early Gantly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gantly Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Gantly has been recorded under many different variations, including Cantlay, Cantley, Cantele, Cantelay, Cantuli, Cantlie, Gantlet, Gantley and many more.

Early Notables of the Gantly family

Notables of the family at this time include John Cantley, the Archdeacon of St. Andrews in Scotland in the early 1500s, and Sir Proby Thomas Cantley, a lieutenant-colonel in the Bengal artillery and director of the Ganges Canal who was knighted in 1854.Henry John Gauntlett, eldest son of the Rev. Henry Gauntlett, was born in...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gantly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gantly family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Gantly or a variant listed above: Alexander Cantley who arrived in Philadelphia in 1852.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook