Billay Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Billay is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a maker of polearms or halberds and billhooks as these were common weapons in early times. The name could also be a baptismal name derived from son of William, although this latter origin is less likely.

Billay Early Origins

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The surname Billay was first found in Somerset, where they held a family seat from ancient times, long before the Norman Conquest in 1066.

Billay Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Billay has appeared include Bill, Bills, Billes and others.

Billay Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Billay research. Another 151 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1320, 1500, 1667, 1505, 1561, 1547, 1551, 1548, 1551, 1553, 1558, 1561, 1558, 1561, 1560, 1561 and are included under the topic Early Billay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Billay Early Notables (pre 1700)

Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Billay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Billay In Ireland

Some of the Billay family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Billay arrived in North America very early: James Bill who settled in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1638; and was made a freeman in that year; Thomas Bill settled in Boston in 1657. The Bills became a distinguished family of the U.S.A..

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: Omne solum patria
Motto Translation: Every land is a man's country.

Billay Family Crest Products

Citations

Other References

Weis, Frederick Lewis, Walter Lee Sheppard and David Faris. Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists Who Came to New England Between 1623 and 1650 7th Edition. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0806313676).
Zieber, Eugene. Heraldry in America. Philadelphia: Genealogical Publishing Co. Print.
Hanks, Hodges, Mills and Room. The Oxford Names Companion. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002. Print. (ISBN 0-19-860561-7).
Cook, Chris. English Historical Facts 1603-1688. London: MacMillan, 1980. Print.
Burke, Sir Bernard. Burke's Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry: Including American Families with British Ancestry. (2 Volumes). London: Burke Publishing, 1939. Print.
Bullock, L.G. Historical Map of England and Wales. Edinburgh: Bartholomew and Son, 1971. Print.
Robb H. Amanda and Andrew Chesler. Encyclopedia of American Family Names. New York: Haper Collins, 1995. Print. (ISBN 0-06-270075-8).
Bradford, William. History of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647 Edited by Samuel Eliot Morrison 2 Volumes. New York: Russell and Russell, 1968. Print.
MacAulay, Thomas Babington. History of England from the Accession of James the Second 4 volumes. New York: Harper and Brothers, 1879. Print.
Virkus, Frederick A. Ed. Immigrant Ancestors A List of 2,500 Immigrants to America Before 1750. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1964. Print.
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The Billay Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Billay Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 25 February 2016 at 14:41.