Show ContentsOtingsley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Otingsley is a name that first reached England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Otingsley family lived in Warwickshire.

Early Origins of the Otingsley family

The surname Otingsley was first found in Warwickshire at Maxtoke, a parish, in the union of Meriden, Atherstone division of the hundred of Hemlingford. "

This place, written Machintone in Domesday Book, is therein certified as having woods one mile in length and half a mile in breadth. William de Odingsells, in the reign of Henry III., had a charter of free warren in all his demesne lands here; and his son and successor claimed by prescription, in the reign of Edward I., a court-leet, with gallows, tumbrell, and assize of bread and beer, which were allowed." 1

Early History of the Otingsley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Otingsley research. Another 48 words (3 lines of text) covering the year 1130 is included under the topic Early Otingsley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Otingsley Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Otingsley are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Otingsley include Odingsells, Odingsell, Odingells, Odingell, Odingsleigh, Odingsly, Odingslie, Odingsley and many more.

Early Notables of the Otingsley family

More information is included under the topic Early Otingsley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Otingsley family

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Otingsley, or a variant listed above: Thomas Odingsells who settled in Salem Massachusetts in 1635.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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