Adelay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Adelay is an old Anglo-Saxon name. It comes from when a family lived in the village of Adderley in Shropshire 1; the village was known as "Eldredelei" in the Domesday Book and was held by Nigel the Doctor. 2

One source notes a Norman connection to the family: "The name was derived from Doussainville, between Paris and Orleans. This family of De Dunstanville continued barons of Adderley in 1255. Henry de Adderley, a younger son, occurs in Staffordshire, 13th century 3, and 1310 Robert de Adderle is mentioned 4. The usage of those ages restricted the name of the barony to the family of its lords." 5

Early Origins of the Adelay family

The surname Adelay was first found in Shropshire at Adderley, a village and civil parish that literally means "woodland clearing of a woman called Athryth," from the Old English personal name + "leah." 6

Early History of the Adelay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Adelay research. Another 95 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1637 is included under the topic Early Adelay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Adelay Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Adelay were recorded, including Adderley, Adderly, Addly, Adley, Aderly, Atherly, Atherley, Hadderley and many more.

Early Notables of the Adelay family

More information is included under the topic Early Adelay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Adelay family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Adelay family emigrate to North America: John Adderley who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1734; Edward Adderly settled in Philadelphia in 1760; Susanna Atherley settled in Virginia in 1768.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
Palgrave, Sir Francis F.R.S., F.S.A. History of the Anglo-Saxons. London: William Tegg, 1871, Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)