Ellesly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Ellesly

What does the name Ellesly mean?

The Ellesly name is an important part of the history of the ancient Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Ellesly is derived from the baptismal name Elsy, which was originally derived from the Old Norse word Aelfsige, which literally means elf-victory. Baptismal names began to appear as surnames relatively late in the growth of the naming tradition. This is a little surprising, given the popularity of biblical figures in the Christian countries of Europe. Nevertheless, surnames derived from baptismal names grew in popularity during the Middle Ages, and have become one of the foremost sources for surnames.

Early Origins of the Ellesly family

The surname Ellesly was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Ellesly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ellesly research. Another 64 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Ellesly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ellesly Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Ellesly were recorded, including Elsley, Elsey and others.

Early Notables of the Ellesly family

More information is included under the topic Early Ellesly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ellesly migration to Australia +

Ellesly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Allan Ellesly, English convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 1

The Ellesly 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: Sans Dieu rien
Motto Translation: Without God, nothing.

Sources +

Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton