Kolis History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Etymology of Kolis

What does the name Kolis mean?

The vast movement of people that followed the Norman Conquest of England of 1066 brought the Kolis family name to the British Isles. They lived in Derbyshire, in the area of Cully.

Early Origins of the Kolis family

The surname Kolis 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 Kolis family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kolis research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1250, 1559, 1606 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Kolis History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Kolis Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Culley, Cully, Culy, Culey and others.

Early Notables of the Kolis family

Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kolis Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Kolis family to Ireland

Some of the Kolis 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.

Migration of the Kolis family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Kolis or a variant listed above: Samuel Culley who settled in Virginia in 1623; Charles Culley settled in New England in 1748; Edward Cully settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1829; John Culley settled in New York State in 1803.

Contemporary Notables of the name Kolis (post 1700) +

Dorothy L. Kolis, American politician, Representative from Pennsylvania 14th District, 1998 2

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html