Show ContentsMackley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Mackley reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mackley family lived in Lincolnshire, where they held a family seat at Claye. The place name literally means "dweller at the clayey place." [1]

Early Origins of the Mackley family

The surname Mackley was first found in Lincolnshire where the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list William del Cley and Robert del Clay as holding lands there at that time. The same rolls also listed Alicia in le Clay, Huntingdonshire. [2]

Later, in Yorkshire, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Agnes del Clay; Johannes del Clay; and Adam del Clay, Howdenshire. [2]

"Clay has long been a Nottinghamshire surname. It was represented in the parish of Hayton in the time of Henry VII. Hercules Clay was a mayor of Newark in the reign of Charles I. (S.), and Clay is still a Newark name. The Clays of Southwell during last century carried their pedigree back 200 years, and their name is yet in the town. Six centuries ago Clay was a common name in the east of England, especially in Essex, Lincolnshire, Hunts, Cambridgeshire, and Beds. It is still well established in Lincolnshire, as well as in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire." [3]

Early History of the Mackley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mackley research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1086, 1457, 1537, 1642, 1646, 1766, 1782, 1784, 1786, 1788, 1791, 1794, 1796, 1797, 1821, 1822, 1823, 1828, 1830, 1832, 1834, 1835, 1837, 1839, 1840, 1841, 1842, 1846, 1854, 1857, 1858, 1867 and 1869 are included under the topic Early Mackley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mackley Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Mackley include Clay, Claye, Cley, Cleye, McClay and others.

Early Notables of the Mackley family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Claymond (1457?-1537), English divine and scholar, "the son of John Claymond and Alice his wife, 'sufficient inhabitants' of Frampton in Lincolnshire, where John was born." [4]Frederic Clay, son of James Clay, M.P. for Hull was born Aug. 3, 1840, in the Rue Chaillot, Paris. He was educated in music entirely by Molique, with the exception...
Another 63 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mackley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Mackley family to Ireland

Some of the Mackley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 69 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Mackley migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Mackleys to arrive on North American shores:

Mackley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Mackley, who landed in Maryland in 1675 [5]
Mackley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Eliz Mackley, who arrived in Virginia in 1712 [5]

Canada Mackley migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mackley Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • John Mackley, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749

Australia Mackley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mackley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Mackley, (b. 1775), aged 38, English labourer who was convicted in Leicestershire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1835 [6]
  • Mr. John Mackley, English convict who was convicted in Norwich, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "David Clarke" on 3rd June 1841, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [7]

Contemporary Notables of the name Mackley (post 1700) +

  • Ruth Elizabeth Mackley, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Manheim, Pennsylvania, 1936-60 [8]
  • Ian Warren Mackley CMG, CVO (1942-2014), British diplomat, British High Commissioner to Ghana (1996-2000)


The Mackley 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: Per orbem
Motto Translation: Through the world.


  1. Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd June 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/david-clarke
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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