Pettay History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of England produced the name of Pettay. It was given to a small person. The surname Pettay originally derived from the Old French word Petit which referred to small or tiny. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. Early Origins of the Pettay familyThe surname Pettay was first found in Warwickshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times as Lords of the Manor of Ilmington conjecturally descended from the land holder recorded in the Domesday Book survey taken in 1086 A.D., as being held by Alric the pre-conquest holder from Robert of Stafford. Early History of the Pettay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pettay research. Another 148 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1296, 1382, 1395, 1548, 1566, 1567, 1583, 1589, 1621, 1623, 1628, 1629, 1639, 1660, 1661 and 1687 are included under the topic Early Pettay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Pettay 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 Pettay has appeared include Pettey, Petty, Pettie, Pety, Petie and others. Early Notables of the Pettay familyNotables of the family at this time include Maximilian Petty (c 1583-1639), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1628 to 1629; Edmund Petty (c. 1621-1661), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660; and Sir William Petty FRS (1623-1687)... Migration of the Pettay family to IrelandSome of the Pettay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Pettay 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 Pettay arrived in North America very early: James Pettey who settled in New Hampshire in 1718; Ann Pettey settled in Maryland in 1740; John Pettie landed in America in 1685; Sir William Petty settled in Pennsylvania in 1682.
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