Show ContentsHaggelay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Haggelay is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when a family lived in one of a variety of similarly-named places. Headley in Hampshire is the oldest. The surname Haggelay belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Haggelay family

The surname Haggelay was first found in Shropshire and Hampshire. One of the first records of the name was Siward de Hedeleia who was listed in 1148, in Winton, Hampshire. Stephen de Hedleye was listed the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire in 1327. 1 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Alan de Hedleg, and Nicholas de Heddeleg in Shropshire and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Records of 1379 list Willelmus de Hedlay and Margareta de Hedelay. 2

Early History of the Haggelay family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Haggelay research. Another 173 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1273 and 1832 are included under the topic Early Haggelay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Haggelay Spelling Variations

Sound was what guided spelling in the essentially pre-literate Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Also, before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Therefore, spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Haggelay family name include Headley, Heggeley, Headly, Hedley, Hedly, Hedlegg, Hedleigh, Headlee, Headleigh, Hegeley and many more.

Early Notables of the Haggelay family

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

Migration of the Haggelay family

For political, religious, and economic reasons, thousands of English families boarded ships for Ireland, the Canadas, the America colonies, and many of smaller tropical colonies in the hope of finding better lives abroad. Although the passage on the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving, those families that survived the trip often went on to make valuable contributions to those new societies to which they arrived. Early immigrants bearing the Haggelay surname or a spelling variation of the name include : Edward and Theo Hedley, who settled in Bermuda in 1635; Will Headly settled in Georgia in 1734; John Headley settled in Maryland in 1722; John, Edward, and Jacob Headley arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865..



  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  2. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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