Show ContentsLoyal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • England
Loyal Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Loyal

What does the name Loyal mean?

The Loyal surname is generally thought to derive from a place name, perhaps Pont Doylly, or Duilly in Normandy. Alternatively, the Oyler, Ollier and similar spellings could have been derived from the English occupational name for an extractor or seller of oil having derived from the Anglo-Norman French word "olier" from "oile." In northern England linseed oil was commonly derived from flax and used as a substitute for olive oil. 1

The source Old English Bynames notes "There are five Ouillys in Calvados. The DB tenant probably came from Ouilly-le-Basset, or, possibly, from Ouilly-le-Vicomte. The name may also derive from Ouilly-du-Houlley, Ouilly-la-Ribaude or Ouilly-le-Tesson." 2 "Robert de Oilgi was a tenant-in-chief in many counties [of the Domesday Book], and Wido de Oilgi in Oxfordshire" 3

Early Origins of the Loyal family

The surname Loyal was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Robert Oilgi, Olgi, de Oilgi, de Olgi, de Oilleio was recorded in 1086. 4 Robert de Olleyo, de Oili was recorded in 1135 at Oseney and later in 1140 at Eynsham, Oxfordshire. The same source notes Henry de Olli, Doilli in 1156 and 1163. Later the Curia Regis Rolls for Oxfordshire in 1212 listed Henry de Oly, Dolly. Early Lincolnshire records show Thomas Duly in 1297 and early Staffordshire records show John Dolye in the Assize Rolls of 1272. 2

The source Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. notes Robert Doilli, Oxfordshire, Henry III-Edward I; Richard de Oyli, Oxfordshire; and Henry Doilly, Oxfordshire. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 includes entries for Matilda de Oylly, Dorset; and Dominus de Doyli, Oxfordshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Juliana Doyle; Johannes Doyle, et Alicia uxor ejus; and Katerina Doylle 6

Early History of the Loyal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Loyal research. Another 182 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1071, 1073, 1120, 1129, 1354, 1542, 1573, 1576, 1577, 1585, 1605, 1614, 1616, 1633, 1640, 1641, 1663, 1666, 1677, 1709 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Loyal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Loyal Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Doyley, D'Oyley, Doyle, D'Oyle, Doylee, Doley, Duley, Duly, Duely, Dueley, Ollie, Oyler, Oylie, D'Oyly, Olley, Oulley, Oullie, Ollie, Owley, Oyly, Oilli, Oiley, L'Oyle and many more.

Early Notables of the Loyal family

Thomas D'Oyley (fl. 1585), English antiquary, the second son of Sir Henry D'Oyly, knight, of Pondhall in the parish of Hadleigh, Suffolk; Robert D'Oyley (1542-1577) of Hambleden, Buckinghamshire, who was Sheriff of Oxfordshire in 1573; and Sir Cope Doyley (d. 1633), who inherited Hambleden Manor, Buckinghamshire in 1605. For this illustrious family, there is a...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Loyal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Loyal migration to Australia +

Loyal Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Loyal, British Convict who was convicted in Saint Christopher (Saint Kitts) for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Loyal (post 1700) +

  • Fraser Loyal Kelly (1934-2022), Canadian journalist, broadcaster and corporate executive from Toronto
  • Maurice Loyal Huggins (1897-1981), American scientist who independently conceived the idea of hydrogen bonding, co-developer of the Flory-Huggins theory
  • J. Loyal Gilbert, American politician, Mayor of Parkersburg, West Virginia, 1919 8
  • Loyal Martin "Marty" Griffin Jr. (1920-2024), American physician, environmentalist and conservationist in Northern California and author of the book Saving the Marin-Sonoma Coast
  • Brigadier-General Loyal Moyer Haynes (1895-1974), American Deputy Chief of Staff US Forces Austria (1945-1946) 9
  • Loyal S. Dingler, American politician, Prohibition Candidate for Michigan State Senate 7th District, 1958, 1960 10
  • Loyal L. Jenkins, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Massachusetts, 1912; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 10th District, 1912, 1922 11
  • Loyal F. Huffman, American politician, Member of South Dakota State House of Representatives, 1937-40 (38th District 1937-38, 26th District 1939-40) 12
  • Loyal D. Eldredge (b. 1831), American Republican politician, Member of Vermont State Senate from Addison County, 1876-78; Member of Vermont State House of Representatives from Middlebury, 1888 13
  1. Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  9. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2012, March 12) Loyal Haynes. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Haynes/Loyal_Moyer/USA.html
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  11. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  12. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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