Show ContentsOlley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Olley

What does the name Olley mean?

The Olley 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 Olley family

The surname Olley 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 Olley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Olley 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 Olley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olley 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 Olley 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 Olley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Olley migration to Australia +

Olley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Samuel Olley, aged 20, a farmer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Trafalgar" 7
  • Samuel Olley, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1849 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Olley (post 1700) +

  • Michele Olley, American Republican politician, Candidate for Wisconsin State Senate 21st District, 1978 8
  • Martin William Charles Olley (b. 1963), former English cricketer who played from 1983 to 1991
  • Flying Officer Gordon Percy Olley MM (1893-1958), English First World War flying ace, the first pilot to fly a million miles in total
  • Chris Olley, English musician and photographer, the lead singer and guitarist for Six By Seven
  • Michelle Olley, British writer, journalist and magazine and book editor
  • Jonathan Olley (b. 1967), British photographer
  • Kenneth Olley, New Zealand former footballer who played from the New Zealand National Team in 1954
  • Frank Olley (1927-1988), Australian politician, Member of the Australian Parliament for Hume (1972-1974)
  • Margaret Hannah Olley AC (1923-2011), Australian painter who held over 90 solo exhibitions
  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. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The TRAFALGAR 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Trafalgar.htm
  8. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, March 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html

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