Ottelay History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe ancestors of the name Ottelay date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in the parish of Oteley found in the counties of Shropshire, Suffolk and the West Riding of Yorkshire. 1 Ottelay is derived from the Old English elements "ote," or "oats" and "leah," meaning "a clearing." 2 Otley in the West Riding of Yorkshire as "in the Domesday Survey [as] Othelia, is supposed to have derived the name from Othe or Otho, its Saxon proprietor. It formed the principal portion of an extensive manor or liberty, which was granted by Athelstan to the see of York. The archbishops had a residence here, and their successors to this day are lords of the manor and liberty." 3 Early Origins of the Ottelay familyThe surname Ottelay was first found in Suffolk where the first record of the family was found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 as Richard de Otteleye. Kirby's Quest lists "Henry Otleghe, Somerset, Edward III" 4 (Henry Otleghe held lands in Somerset during the reign of Edward III.) Tor de Ottalay was listed in Yorkshire (1148-1156); Thomas de Otteleg was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for 1225 in Suffolk; and Paulinus de Otteley was found in the Feet of Fines for Yorkshire in 1301. 5 Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed Mary Henry Hotlay as living there at that time. 6 Early History of the Ottelay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ottelay research. Another 161 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1425, 1434, 1601, 1626, 1643, 1644, 1646, 1649, 1661, 1670, 1716 and 1723 are included under the topic Early Ottelay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Ottelay Spelling VariationsOttelay has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Ottelay have been found, including Ottley, Otley, Oatley, Oteley, Oatly and others. Early Notables of the Ottelay familyNotables of the family at this time include Sir Francis Ottley (1601-1649), English Royalist knight, military governor of Shrewsbury in 1643 and later High Sheriff of Shropshire (1644-1646)... Migration of the Ottelay familyIn an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Ottelays to arrive on North American shores: Thomas Otley, who is on record in Virginia in 1618; Abraham and Adam Otley, who both arrived in Lynn, Massachusetts in 1641; Darcy Oatly, who was on record in Virginia in 1657.
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