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Wilay was first used as a surname in the Scottish/English Borderlands by the Strathclyde-Briton. The first Wilay family lived in Dumfries where today more often than not, the name is typically spelt either Wylie or Wyllie. 1
The surname Wilay was first found in Dumfriesshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Dhùn Phris), where the first on record was Donald Wyly, tenant of Thornhill, Dumfriesshire, 1376. Later, John Wili held a land in Montrose, 1431, and Robert Wylye was vicar of Kilcoldrum, 1434. William Wyly, was a witness in Prestwick, Ayrshire, 1446, Robert Wyly, was a charter witness in Glasgow, 1454, and Richard Wyly, was vicar of Dundee in 1458. 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wilay research. Another 218 words (16 lines of text) covering the years 1509, 1529, 1530, 1550, 1563, 1575, 1590, 1642, 1643, 1645, 1653, 1659, 1680, 1768, 1772, 1790, 1794, 1799, 1801, 1802, 1808, 1819, 1827, 1828, 1829, 1831, 1833, 1835, 1839, 1841, 1847, 1850, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1862, 1865, 1870, 1871, 1890 and 1891 are included under the topic Early Wilay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Medieval Scottish names are rife with spelling variations. This is due to the fact that scribes in that era spelled according to the sound of words, rather than any set of rules. Wilay has been spelled Wiley, Wylie, Whyley, Wyley, Wilie, Wyllie and others.
Notable amongst the family at this time was George Wyllys or Wyllis (1590-1645), born at the manor of Fenny Compton in Warwickshire, an English-born, early American politician who served as the 4th Governor of the Connecticut Colony (1642-1643.)
Sir James Wylie (1768-1854), Scottish physician at the court of Russia, was born at Kincardine-on-Forth in 1768. His parents (William Wylie and Janet Meiklejohn) were in a humble position. He received the degree of M.D. from King's College, Aberdeen, on 22 Dec. 1794. In 1790 he entered the Russian service as senior...
Another 89 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wilay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many Scots were left with few options other than to leave their homeland for the colonies across the Atlantic. Some of these families fought to defend their newfound freedom in the American War of Independence. Others went north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. The ancestors of all of these families have recently been able to rediscover their roots through Clan societies and other Scottish organizations. Among them: James Wiley, his wife and two sisters, who arrived in Boston, Mass in 1766; Isaac Wiley settled in Barbados in 1663; Paul Wiley aged 78; arrived in New York in 1822 with his family.