Knolley History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe name Knolley first arose amongst the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from their having lived in the area that was referred to as the knoll. This surname was originally derived from the Old English word cnolle which means one who lived at the top of the hill or the summit. 1 Early Origins of the Knolley familyThe surname Knolley was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. Early History of the Knolley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Knolley research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1325, 1399, 1407, 1410, 1514, 1521, 1537, 1547, 1550, 1571, 1588, 1596, 1599, 1610, 1614, 1621, 1622, 1624, 1626, 1628, 1629, 1632, 1646, 1659, 1665, 1668, 1691 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Knolley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Knolley Spelling VariationsOne relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Knolley has appeared include Knollys, Knoll, Knolle, Knolles, Knowles, Knowlys and others. Early Notables of the Knolley familyNotables of the family at this time include Sir Robert Knolles (c. 1325-1407), an important English knight of the Hundred Years' War, operating with the tacit support of the Crown, succeeded in taking the only two major French cities, other than Calais and Poitiers, to fall to Edward III, methods earned him infamy as a freebooter and a ravager, the ruined gables of burned buildings came to be known as "Knolly's mitres"
Sir Francis Knollys (1514-1596) was an English statesman, elder son of Robert Knollys (d. 1521.) He claims descent from Sir Thomas Knollys, Lord Mayor of London in 1399 and 1410... Migration of the Knolley family to IrelandSome of the Knolley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Knolley familyAt this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Knolley arrived in North America very early: Hansard Knollys, who came to New Hampshire in 1630; Henry Knowles settled in Salem, Massachusetts in 1635; John Knowles settled in Barbados in 1635; as did Thomas Knowles.
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