Show ContentsHughly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Hughly is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Hughly is a name that comes from the Old English given name Huwelet, Huwelot, or Hughelot. Nonetheless, the name is also a diminutive of the Old French personal name Hugh, or Hughe, which was introduced to England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The personal name Hugh is a short form of various Germanic compound names formed from the element hug, which meant heart, mind, and spirit. 1

Early Origins of the Hughly family

The surname Hughly was first found in Norfolk where Agnes Hughelot was recorded c. 1248. A few years later, Thomas Huwelot was listed in Huntingdonshire c. 1250 and later again, Richard Hulot was recorded in Suffolk in 1275. Walter Howlot, Hughlot was found in Devon in 1310 and 1311 and John Huelot was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcester in 1327. In Yorkshire, John Highlot was listed there in 1357 and Robert Hulat was found in the Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk in 1381. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: William Huwelot, Huntingdonshire; Walter Huwelot, Oxfordshire; Walter Hughelot, Kent; and John Huelot, Cambridgeshire. 3

In Somerset, Thomas Hughelot, was listed there, 1 Edward III (in the first years of King Edward III's reign.) 4

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included Johannes Hughlot. 3

The famed, William Redington Hewlett (1913-2001), the American engineer and co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company, who was born in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Early History of the Hughly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hughly research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1619, 1627, 1638, 1660, 1661, 1662, 1692, 1704, 1710 and 1747 are included under the topic Early Hughly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hughly Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Hewlett, Hewlet, Hewlit, Hewlitt, Hughelot, Hughelett and many more.

Early Notables of the Hughly family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Captain William Hewlett, the officer in charge of the soldiers at the execution of Charles I. He was later convicted on 15 October 1660 for his part in the regicide but was not executed.Ebenezer Hewlett (fl. 1747), was an antitrinitarian writer who lived at the New Pales in Sun Street, without Bishopsgate, London, and was for a time employed by the East India Company. 5Lady Sarah Hewley (1627-1710), was the English foundress of the Hewley trust, the only daughter and heiress of Robert Wolrych (d. 11 Dec. 1661), bencher...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hughly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Hughly family to Ireland

Some of the Hughly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Hughly migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Hughly or a variant listed above were:

Hughly Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Robert Hughly, aged 28, who arrived in America in 1821 6
  • S Hughly, aged 45, who landed in America in 1821 6


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. 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)


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