Ealiff History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Ealiff family first reached the shores of England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Their name is derived from from the Old Norse, Eilifr and was listed in the Domesday Book as Ailof and Eilaf, a personal name. 1

Early Origins of the Ealiff family

The surname Ealiff was first found in Northumberland where the first record of the family is of Eilaf filius Gospatric who was listed there in 1166. We presume the Ailef of Palestu (Palestine) was a returning Norman knight from the Holy Land about 1200. He, or his successors, later held estates in that shire in 1176. 2

The Chronicles of the Mayors and Sheriffs of London, 1188-1274 listed Arnaed Fitz-Aluf, as Sheriff of London in 1108.

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had only one listing for the family: Robertus Haylyf and later the History of Norfolk listed Thomas Ayloffe, Essex, c. 1500. 3

Early History of the Ealiff family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ealiff research. Another 127 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1534, 1563, 1585, 1592, 1600, 1618, 1621, 1622, 1627, 1631, 1661, 1662, 1675, 1676, 1685, 1722 and 1732 are included under the topic Early Ealiff History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ealiff Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Ayloffe, Ayloff, Ayliffe, Ayliff and others.

Early Notables of the Ealiff family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was William Ayloffe (died 1585), an English judge of the Queen's Bench; Sir William Ayloffe, 1st Baronet (1563-1627), English Member of Parliament (M.P.) for Stockbridge from 1621 to 1622, from Braxtead Magna, Essex; Sir Benjamin Ayloffe, 2nd Baronet (1592-1662), an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1662, he supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War; Sir William Ayloffe, 3rd Baronet (1618-1675), an English officer...
Another 81 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ealiff Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Ealiff family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Ealiff or a variant listed above: Edward Ayliffe, aged 38, who arrived at Ellis Island, in 1922; Frank Ayliffe, aged 37, who arrived at Ellis Island from London, England, in 1909; Harry Ayliffe, aged 28, who arrived at Ellis Island from London, in 1907.

Citations +

Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print