| ![Show Contents]() Koley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Etymology of KoleyWhat does the name Koley mean? The name Koley was carried to England in the enormous movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Koley family lived in Derbyshire, in the area of Cully. Early Origins of the Koley familyThe surname Koley was first found in Norfolk where Hunfrid de Cuelai was listed there in the Domesday Book. 1 However, we must look to the aforementioned reference of Derbyshire to find the earliest land grants for the surname. And Ratcliffe Culey, a hamlet near the border of Warwickshire and Leicestershire, part of the civil parish of Witherley can be ruled out as the origin of the name as the hamlet's first reference was in the 1600's. Early History of the Koley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Koley research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1559, 1606 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Koley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Koley Spelling VariationsEndless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Culley, Cully, Culy, Culey and others. Early Notables of the Koley familyAnother 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Koley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Koley family to IrelandSome of the Koley family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 75 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Koley migration to the United States | + |
To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Koley or a variant listed above:
Koley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Anthony Koley, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1764 2
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- 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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