Ketelbay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Ketelbay family

The surname Ketelbay was first found in Lincolnshire at Kettleby, a hamlet, in the parish of Bigby, union of Caistor, S. division of the wapentake of Yarborough. 1 2 3

Kettleby Thorpe is also a hamlet, in the parish of Bigby, union of Caistor, S. division of the wapentake of Yarborough a little farther from Glandford-Brigg. "Here is a desecrated burial-ground, where fragments of Roman pavement have been found." 1

Both hamlets back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when they were collectively known as Chetelbi. 4 By 1236, they were known as Abeketleby and literally meant "farmstead or village of a man called Ketil," from the Viking personal name + "by." 5

The first record of the family was John de Ketelbi who held estates here in c.1200-1210. But from this first entry for the family, it seems that for a few centuries, there were no entries found as we must move to 1513 to find John Ketylby in the Feet of Fines for Essex at that time. 2

Worcestershire became as stronghold of the family as the Register of the University of Oxford listed John Kettlebie (1589) and Thomas Ketilby (1604.) 6

The famed English composer, conductor and pianist Albert William Ketèlbey (1875-1959) best known for his short pieces of light orchestral music was born in Aston, Birmingham as Albert William Ketelbey. He added the accented "e" to help people pronounce his name better.

Early History of the Ketelbay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ketelbay research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1041, 1191, 1241, 1396, 1510, 1513, 1543, 1600, 1652, 1688, 1693, 1704 and 1982 are included under the topic Early Ketelbay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ketelbay Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Ketelbay include Ketelby, Kettelby, Ketelbey, Kettleby, Kettlby and others.

Early Notables of the Ketelbay family

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

Migration of the Ketelbay family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: James Kettleby, who came to America in 1767; as well as Maria Kettleby, who arrived in Ontario in 1871.

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)