Show ContentsStokely History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Stokely is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Stokely family lived in Pembrokeshire. Their name, however, is a reference to Stock, near Caen, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Early Origins of the Stokely family

The surname Stokely was first found in Pembrokeshire where they held a family seat from early times. One of the first records of the names was Saint Simon Stock (c. 1165-1265), an English saint who was probably born in Aylesford England. In a vision, The Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to him and gave him the Carmelite habit, the Brown Scapular and promised that those who die wearing it will be saved.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 include the following: Baldewin de Stoke in Suffolk; Mariota de Stoke in Huntingdonshire; Robert de Stokes in Oxfordshire; and Seman de Stokes in Northamptonshire. 1

Peter Stokes (died 1399), was a Carmelite friar at Hitchin, Hertfordshire and later after studying at Oxford rose to become a doctor of divinity before 1382. During the religious troubles of that year Stokes acted as the representative of Archbishop Courtenay in the university. 2

"Thomas Stokes, "armiger," and some, if not all, of the members of his family, which included four sons and twelve daughters, were buried in the church of Ashby Ledgers during the 15th century. Adrian Stokes by right of his wife owned the living of Tifiield in 1575." 3

Early History of the Stokely family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Stokely research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1180, 1220, 1569, 1590, 1591, 1626 and 1669 are included under the topic Early Stokely History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stokely Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Stoke, Stokes, Stoaks, Stocks and others.

Early Notables of the Stokely family

Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Stokely Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Stokely Ranking

In the United States, the name Stokely is the 15,330th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Stokely family to Ireland

Some of the Stokely family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 47 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Stokely migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Stokely or a variant listed above were:

Stokely Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • John Stokely, aged 16, who arrived in Maryland in 1684 5
Stokely Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mary Anna Stokely, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1909
  • Dorothy E. Stokely, aged 17, who landed in America, in 1921
  • Edith K. Stokely, aged 59, who immigrated to America, in 1921
  • David L. Stokely, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States, in 1923

Contemporary Notables of the name Stokely (post 1700) +

  • Charlotte Stokely (b. 1986), American actress and model, known for her work for American Apparel
  • Samuel Stokely (1796-1861), American politician, U.S. Representative from Ohio (1841-1843)
  • Wilma Dykeman Stokely (1920-2006), American writer of fiction and nonfiction
  • Mr. George Stokely, British sheriff, held the joint position of Sheriff of Nottingham, England from 1596 to 1597


The Stokely 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: Fortis qui insons
Motto Translation: Innocent fortune.


  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  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)


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