| ![Show Contents]() Awtrey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The name Awtrey was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Awtrey family lived in Sussex at Moor House, Petworth, not far from Battle Abbey. 1 Hawtrie is an adaptation of Hauterive, Normandy, the name of which literally means high river. "In recording the foundation of Heryngham Priory by William Dawtree, the Monasticon thus speaks: 'The latin word 'Ripa,' was in Norman writings generally meant for a river, without relation to 'Ripa' a bank. The Romans called it 'Haultrey.' There was an ancient family of knights, owners of much lands in these parts, and of fair possessions, even in the very bosom of the 'high stream' from which they took their name, and were called 'De Haul-trey.' "The ancient house" here alluded to was the stem of many important branches, the most flourishing of which was that planted in the county of Sussex, at Moor House in Petworth, not very far from Battle Abbey itself. It produced a series of knightly generations, which held the highest rank in their country, and intermarried with its noblest families. " 1 Early Origins of the Awtrey familyThe surname Awtrey was first found in Sussex where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Heringham. Soon after the Domesday Book survey, a census initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066 A.D., the family built Heringham Priory. 2 The first Norman noble to settle was from Hauterive, probably assuming the cognate 'de Hauterive'. He came from the arrondisement of Alencon in Normandy. It is most likely a corruption of the Norman Hauterive which produced the family name but, strangely, Dawtry and Dealtry have also been attributed to the same source, this from a Latinization of the location of their estates in Sussex, i.e., De Alta Ripa, a high bank or cliff. The Dawtries, the main house of which is in Petworth parish, are one and the same as the Hawtries. Early History of the Awtrey familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Awtrey research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1659, 1758 and 1767 are included under the topic Early Awtrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Awtrey Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Hawtre, Hawtree, Hawtrie, Dawtre, Dawtree, Dawtrie, Hawtrey, Haultrey, Dealtre, Dealtrie, Dawtrey, Dawtry, Daltry, Haltry, Haltrie and many more. Early Notables of the Awtrey familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Migration of the Awtrey familyTo escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Awtrey or a variant listed above: John Dawtres who settled in Virginia in 1636; William Dawtrey settled in Barbados in 1683.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Awtrey (post 1700) | + |
- Dennis Wade Awtrey (b. 1948), retired American NBA professional basketball player from Hollywood, California; he played from 1970 to 1982, twice WCC Player of the Year (1969, 1970)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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