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![Show Contents]() Ballight History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Early Origins of the Ballight familyThe surname Ballight was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066, William, Duke of Normandy, having prevailed over King Harold, granted most of Britain to his many victorious Barons. It was not uncommon to find a Baron, or a Bishop, with 60 or more Lordships scattered throughout the country. These he gave to his sons, nephews and other junior lines of his family and they became known as under-tenants. They adopted the Norman system of surnames which identified the under-tenant with his holdings so as to distinguish him from the senior stem of the family. After many rebellious wars between his Barons, Duke William, commissioned a census of all England to determine in 1086, settling once and for all, who held which land. He called the census the Domesday Book, 1 indicating that those holders registered would hold the land until the end of time. Hence, conjecturally, the surname is descended from the tenant of the lands of Coddenham, held by Ralph de Limesy, a Norman Baron who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. Early History of the Ballight familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ballight research. Another 135 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1542, 1560 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Ballight History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ballight Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Ballight have been found, including Ballet, Ballett, Ballette, Bailet, Baillet, Baillett and many more. Early Notables of the Ballight familyMore information is included under the topic Early Ballight Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Ballight familyFor many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Ballight were among those contributors: Richard Ballet, who was naturalized in Pennsylvania in 1842; as well as Thomas Ballet, who was on record in Philadelphia in 1872.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
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