Show ContentsPoolay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The ancestors of the bearers of the Poolay family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found near a pool of water. 1 The surname Poolay belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Early Origins of the Poolay family

The surname Poolay was first found in Dorset at Poole, now a large coastal town and seaport. While today Poole is a large tourist resort, looking back to as early as the Iron Age, this costal town was a major fishing port. The Romans landed at Poole during their conquest of Britain in the 1st century.

Years later, the Vikings in 876 landed; Guthrum sailed his fleet through the harbour to attack Wareham, and in later 1015, Canute began his conquest of England here using it as a base to raid and pillage Wessex. Centuries later in the 16th century, Poole would become a major commercial center for the North American colonies, including the vast fisheries of Newfoundland. Accordingly, many Newfoundlanders trace their lineage through Poole or nearby communities. Another branch was found at Ewelme in Oxfordshire at ancient times.

Another source notes: "the oldest family of this name, Poole of Poole, co. Chester, were lords of that estate from an early period. The name was variously written, in the XIV. century, Pull, Poole, and De la Poole." 2

"William de la Pole, Duke of Suffolk, who obtained the manor by marriage with Alice, daughter and heiress of Thomas Chaucer, son of Geoffrey Chaucer, the poet, in whose family it had been for many years, erected the present church and a noble mansion, of which latter only some of the outoffices now remain. There are some handsome monuments, one of which, to the memory of the Duchess of Suffolk, who died in 1475, is elaborately embellished; the Chaucer monument, an altar-tomb, is ornamented with numerous shields of armorial bearings, and inlaid with brasses on which are the effigies of a knight and his lady, in the costume of the fifteenth century." 3

"William de la Pole, Earl and Duke of Suffolk, the redoubted warrior of the martial times of Henry V. and Henry VI., was derived from the Norman De la Pole. From the same origin also sprang the De la Poles of Staffordshire, the parent stock of the Poles of Radborne, co. Derby, and the Poles, Barons Montagu, illustrious for having given birth to Cardinal Pole, Archbishop of Canterbury, the most eminent prelate of his age, one of the three presidents of the Council of Trent." 4

Again in Radbourn (Radborne) in Derbyshire: "On the death of Sir John Chandos, the celebrated warrior, in 1370, the estate passed to his representatives in the female line, and eventually to Sir Peter de la Pole, from whom the manor has descended to its present owner, Edward Sacheverel Chandos Pole, Esq. Radbourn Hall, a large brick mansion of modern date, the seat of the Pole family, stands on an eminence in a well-wooded park, commanding extensive views in all directions." 3

Somerset was an early point of importance to the family for it is there that we find: Boniface atte Poule; Stephen atte Poule; and Philip atte Poule all recorded 1 Edward III (in the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one early entry, that of Walter de la Pulle, Oxfordshire and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 similarly had only one: Johanna de Pulle. 6

In Scotland, the name is "perhaps local, from residence by a pool. William del Pol of Donde granted a charter, 1321. William, Adam, and Mathew Pule appear in 1624, and John Puill was merchant burgess of Dumfries, 1638." 7

Early History of the Poolay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Poolay research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1330, 1361, 1366, 1389, 1415, 1448, 1462, 1473, 1500, 1505, 1541, 1558, 1564, 1566, 1597, 1601, 1603, 1612, 1614, 1617, 1621, 1624, 1626, 1629, 1632, 1640, 1648, 1661, 1673 and 1679 are included under the topic Early Poolay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Poolay Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Poolay include Pool, Pooley, Poole, Pole, Pull and others.

Early Notables of the Poolay family

Notables of the family at this time include Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk (1330?-1389), Lord Chancellor, son of Sir William de la Pole (d. 1366); and his son, Michael de la Pole, 2nd Earl of Suffolk (1361-1415), eldest son of Michael de la Pole, Earl of Suffolk; Margaret Pole the Blessed, Countess of Salisbury (1473-1541), an English peeress - she was executed in 1541 at the command of King Henry VIII; Sir Richard Pole, KG (1462-1505), created Knight of the Garter and married to Margaret Pole, 8th Countess of Salisbury, a member of the Plantagenet dynasty, to reinforce the...
Another 201 words (14 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Poolay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Poolay family to Ireland

Some of the Poolay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 34 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Poolay family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Poolay or a variant listed above: George Pool, who settled in Virginia in 1650; William Pool settled in New England in 1649; Jeremiah and Sylvester Pool settled in Barbados in 1685; William Pole settled in New England in 1649.



The Poolay 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: Pollet virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue excels.


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
  5. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  7. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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