The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Methlay family lived in Methley, Yorkshire. Methley is situated midway between Leeds and Pontefract and the town dates back to Anglo-Saxon times.The village of Methley contains a fine church dating from the 14th century with family tombs and medieval carvings which inspired the sculptures of Henry Moore.
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Early Origins of the Methlay family
The surname Methlay was first found in Yorkshire from very ancient times. At the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 the village of Methley, midway between Leeds and Pontefract, was held by Ilbert de Lacy, a Norman noble who accompanied King William in his conquest of England at Hastings in 1066. The village of Methley contains a fine church dating from the 14th century with family tombs and medieval carvings which inspired the sculptures of Henry Moore.
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Early History of the Methlay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Methlay research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1379 and 1614 are included under the topic Early Methlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Methlay Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Methley, Methly, Mettley, Meythly, Methelay, Methlay and many more.
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Early Notables of the Methlay family
More information is included under the topic Early Methlay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Methlay family
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Methlay or a variant listed above: Charles Methelay arrived in New York in 1891.
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