Show ContentsGully History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Gully surname comes from the Middle English word "golias," meaning "giant;" as such, it likely evolved from a nickname for a very large man.

Early Origins of the Gully family

The surname Gully was first found in Oxfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1206 when Hugh Golie held estates.

Early History of the Gully family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gully research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1225, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Gully History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gully Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Gully, Gulley, Golly, Golley, Gullie, Gullee and many more.

Early Notables of the Gully family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Gully family of Oxford

Gully Ranking

In the United States, the name Gully is the 10,620th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


Gully migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gully Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Tho Gully, who landed in Virginia in 1664 2
  • Samuell Gully, who settled in Virginia in 1666
  • Joane Gully, who arrived in Maryland in 1678
  • James Gully, who landed in Maryland in 1680 2
Gully Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Peter Gully, who arrived in Virginia in 1702 2
  • Thomas Gully, who arrived in Virginia in 1750 2
  • Michael Gully, who settled in Maryland in 1764
Gully Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A Gully, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 2
  • Cuthbert Gully, who arrived in California in 1894 2

Gully migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Gully Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Flora Gully, aged 17, who landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia in 1815
  • Thomas Gully, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1839
  • Denis Gully, who arrived in Canada in 1847

Gully migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Gully Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Gully, English convict from Warwick, who was transported aboard the "Ann" on August 1809, settling in New South Wales, Australia 3
  • Alfred Gully, aged 24, a mason, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Glentanner" 4
  • Mary Anne Gully, aged 20, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Glentanner" 4
  • Samuel Gully, aged 43, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Lady Ann"
  • Robert Gully, aged 14, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Lady Ann"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Gully migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Gully Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • William Gully, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
  • Mr. Gully, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "John Phillips" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in April 1852 5
  • Mrs. Gully, British settler travelling from London with 4 children aboard the ship "John Phillips" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand in April 1852 5
  • Mr. Charles Gully, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "England" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 6th February 1867 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Gully (post 1700) +

  • John Gully (1783-1863), English prize-fighter, horse-racer, legislator, and colliery proprietor, born at the Crown inn, Wick, on 21 Aug. 1783 6
  • James Manby Gully (1808-1883), Victorian medical doctor, best known for his practice of hydrotherapy 6
  • John Gully (1819-1888), New Zealand landscape painter
  • William Court Gully (1835-1909), 1st Viscount Selby, Speaker of the British House of Commons


The Gully 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: Nil sine cruce
Motto Translation: Nothing without the cross.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Ann voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1809 with 200 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/ann/1809
  4. South Australia Passengerlists (Retrieved 10th November 2010). Retrieved from https://archives.sa.gov.au/sites/default/files/documentstore/passengerlists/1855/GRG35_48_1_55-35_Glentanner.pdf
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  6. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 30 June 2020


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