Show ContentsMallory History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Mallory

What does the name Mallory mean?

The history of the name Mallory begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a person who was known for bad luck and an unhappy disposition having derived from the Old French word malheure meaning unhappy or unlucky.

Alternatively the name could have originally be Norman, having derived from "Maloures or Malesoures near St. Brieux in Brittany. Durand de Malesoure lived there c. 1040. He had two sons, who came to England in 1066: 1. Adam Fitz Durand who held Essex, 1086; and Fulcher de Maloure, whose barony was in Rutland, and who held Northamptonshire from the Countess Judith at the same date." 1

"The Mallores were seated for many generations in Leicestershire, where they affixed their name to Kirkby Mallory." 2

Early Origins of the Mallory family

The surname Mallory was first found in Leicestershire at Kirkby-Mallory, a parish, in the union of Market-Bosworth, hundred of Sparkenhoe. "This place derived its name from the family of Malory, its ancient lords, the first of whom noticed in history was Geoffrey, father of Sir Ankitell Malory, Knt., governor of Leicester Castle under Robert Blanchmains, Earl of Leicester, in the reign of Henry II." 3

Another source expands this story in more detail. "The first of the family that I have met with was Geoffrey, father of Sir Anchitel Mallory, who, being governer of the town and castle of Leicester under Robert Blanchemains in the time of the rebellion against Henry II., marked thence to Northampton, and after a sharp fight, having defeated the burghers there, returned to Leicester with the spoils and plunder of that town; for which his lands being forfeited, they were in 1174 seized by the King. Nor was he ever restored to them." 2

Henry his son, paying a fine of sixty marks to King John obtained full restitution of the manor of Kirkby Malloy and his father's lands in this county and Warwickshire.

Later Richard Mallorei was found in Nottinghamshire c. 1155 and almost twenty years later, William Maleuerei was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1170. 4

During the reign of Henry III., Anketil de Malore was listed in Berkshire, Oxfordshire and Yorkshire. About the same time, Robert Malhore, or Mallore, or Mallori, or Mallory, or Mallure was found in Northamptonshire. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list Anketil Malore in Shropshire and Crispiane Malure in Leicestershire. Later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls listed Johannes Malore, Alicia filius Johannes Maulore and Peter Mature (Herefordshire.) 5

Early History of the Mallory family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mallory research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1405, 1444, 1471, 1564, 1610, 1640, 1642 and 1655 are included under the topic Early Mallory History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mallory Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Mallory are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Mallory include: Mallory, Mallorie, Mallorey, Mellory and others.

Early Notables of the Mallory family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Sir Richard Malorye, Lord mayor of London in 1564; and Sir John Mallory (1610-1655), an English politician who sat in the House of Commons (1640-1642), fought on the Royalist side in the English Civil...
  • Sir Christopher Mallory (son of Sir William and a daughter of Lord Zouche) acquired great estates in North Yorkshire and the co. of Durham by his marriage with Joan, daughter and co-heir of Robert Con...
  • This must have been in the very first years of the fourteenth century; for his great grandson, William Mallory, was living in 1444, when he succeeded his father-in-law. 2

Mallory Ranking

In the United States, the name Mallory is the 2,091st most popular surname with an estimated 14,922 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Mallory family to Ireland

Some of the Mallory 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.


Mallory migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Mallory or a variant listed above:

Mallory Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Capt. Roger Mallory, (c. 1637-c. 1696), English immigrant, holder of the 1660 patent on 2,514 acres in New Kent County, Virginia
  • Peter Mallory, who landed in New Haven, Connecticut in 1644 7
  • Roger Mallory, who landed in Virginia in 1660 7
  • Thomas Mallory, who arrived in Virginia in 1660 7
  • Philip Mallory, who arrived in Virginia in 1661 7
Mallory Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Danl Mallory, who landed in Virginia in 1714 7
Mallory Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • S R Mallory, aged 23, who arrived in Key West, Fla in 1837 7
  • Henry Mallory, aged 20, who arrived in Key West, Fla in 1839 7
  • H Mallory, aged 45, who arrived in Key West, Fla in 1844 7
  • G W Mallory, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 7
  • D. G. W. Mallory who settled in San Francisco in 1850
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mallory migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mallory Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. Enoch Mallory U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 8
  • Mr. Jeremiah Mallory U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 8
  • Mr. John Mallory U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 member of the Penobscot Association 8
  • Mr. Nathaniel Mallory U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Mallory (post 1700) +

  • William Guy "Bill" Mallory (1935-2018), American football player and coach, two-time MAC Coach of the Year (1973, 1983)
  • William L. Mallory Sr. (1931-2013), American politician, member of the Ohio House of Representatives (1967-1994) and House Majority Leader (1974-1994)
  • James Patrick Mallory (b. 1945), Irish-American archaeologist
  • Carole Mallory (b. 1942), American film actress and former model
  • Patricia "Boots" Mallory (1913-1958), American film actress, dancer and model
  • George Kenneth Mallory (1900-1986), American physician for whom Mallory-Weiss syndrome is named
  • Frank Burr Mallory (1862-1941), American pathologist for whom the Mallory body is named
  • Francis Mallory (1807-1860), American naval officer, physician, railroad executive and Representative from Virginia
  • Caitlin Mallory (b. 1987), American ice dancer who competes internationally for Estonia
  • Arenia C. Mallory (1904-1977), founder and head of what is now Saints Academy in Lexington, Mississippi
  • ... (Another 38 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


Suggested Readings for the name Mallory +

  • The Ancestry of Harvey Dunn by Judith Miner Hine Luedemann.
  • The Mallorys of Mystic by James P. Baugham.

  1. The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
  2. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X


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