Show ContentsRelly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Relly Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Relly

What does the name Relly mean?

The name Relly has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the village of Raleigh in the county of Devon. This place-name was originally derived from the Old English ra leah meaning a meadow for deer. 1

Early Origins of the Relly family

The surname Relly was first found in Devon where one of the first records of the name was William de Raley (or William de Ralegh or William Raleigh) (died 1250) a medieval judge, administrator and bishop. Born in Devon, he became Bishop of Winchester, "but it is doubtful to which of the four branches of the Devonshire Raleighs he belonged. In 1212 he was presented by King John to the church of Bratton, and was employed in judicial business in Lincolnshire and Cumberland in 1226-1227." 2

"According to Fuller, they derived their name from 'a well-known town' in that county. I cannot discover any town, or even village, so called." 3

However another source provides more clues about the bishop's origin: "Ralegh, Bishop of Winchester, 1244, was born at Ralegh, in the parish of Pilton, the original seat of this famous family. " 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list the following: Hugh de Ralegh in Devon; and Warin de Raleghe in Somerset. 5

Early History of the Relly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Relly research. Another 153 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1300, 1552, 1586, 1597, 1600, 1605, 1618, 1626, 1641, 1646, 1659 and 1666 are included under the topic Early Relly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Relly Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Relly have been found, including Raleigh, Rawleigh, Rawley, Rawle, Rawles and others.

Early Notables of the Relly family

Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), a court favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, known for his expeditions to the New World; and his second son, Walter Raleigh or Ralegh (1586-1646), an English divine, Dean of Wells from 1641 until his death in a scuffle; and Carew Raleigh or Ralegh (1605-1666), first son of Sir Walter Raleigh, born in the Tower of London during his...
Another 62 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Relly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Relly family to Ireland

Some of the Relly family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Relly migration to Australia +

Relly Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mrs. Catherine Relly, (Kelly, Reilly), (1778 - 1836), aged 52, Irish servant who was convicted in County Carlow, Ireland for 7 years for stealing weights, transported aboard the "Forth II" on 3rd June 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, 1 child 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Relly (post 1700) +

  • James Relly (1722-1778), Scottish universalist, born at Jeffreston, Pembrokeshire
  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  3. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  4. Worth, R.N., A History of Devonshire London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, E.G., 1895. Digital
  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. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au

Houseofnames.com on Facebook