The name Sodeley was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Sodeley family lived in Gloucestershire, at Sudely.
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Early Origins of the Sodeley family
The surname Sodeley was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat at Sudely Castle. Conjecturally they are descended from the holder of these estates, Harold FitzRalph, said to be the illegitimate son of King Harold, 1 but counter claims say that he was the son of the Earl of Hereford. He was granted these lands by Duke William of Normandy after the Conquest of England in 1066 A.D. The Domesday Book survey of 1086 A.D., shows Harold as holding 6 mills. The Castle was erected soon after as a defense against the Welsh intrusions to the west.
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Early History of the Sodeley family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sodeley research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1140 is included under the topic Early Sodeley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Sodeley 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 Sudeley, Sudely, Sudly, Sodely, Soudley, Soudly, Soudely and many more.
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Early Notables of the Sodeley family
More information is included under the topic Early Sodeley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Sodeley 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 Sodeley or a variant listed above: John Sudley who settled in Carolina in 1717.
England
