Paly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Paly

What does the name Paly mean?

The origins of the Paly surname are uncertain. It may have derive from the Middle English words "pale," and "eye," in which case it was likely a nickname which evolved into a name. Or it may come from an Old Scandinavian personal name, "Palle," which was probably originally an ethnic name for someone from Poland.

Early Origins of the Paly family

The surname Paly was first found in Yorkshire where the name was first borne as a personal name by a powerful Dane mentioned in the Saxon Chronicle as Pallig A.D. 1101. 1

Early History of the Paly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Paly research. Another 113 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1101, 1379, 1455, 1487 and 1591 are included under the topic Early Paly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Paly Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Paly has appeared include Paley, Pailey, Palley, Pallie, Pailley, Pailie and many more.

Early Notables of the Paly family

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

Paly migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Paly arrived in North America very early:

Paly Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Paly, who landed in Virginia in 1622 2

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
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)