| ![Show Contents]() Shiley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Shiley is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The Shiley family lived in Sussex having derived from the Old English word shelf, meaning a wooded clearing on a ledge or plateau, and indicates that the original bearer lived near such a landmark. (smith) Following the Norman line "genealogists assert that the Sheeleys 'came out of France with William the Conqueror.' Seulle, Shevels, or Sheuile, is found in the lists called the Roll of Battel Abbey." 2 Early Origins of the Shiley familyThe surname Shiley was first found in Sussex where "there is no doubt of the antiquity of the house of Shelley, the accounts of the earlier descents of the family are very scanty. Originally of the county of Huntingdon, [now Cambridgeshire] the Shelleys are said to have removed into this county at a very early period." 3 The earliest record of the name was John and Thomas Shelley who followed the fortunes of Richard II and were subsequently beheaded in the first year of Henry IV's rule. The remaining brother who was not connected, retained his possessions. 3 The Pipe Rolls for Suffolk included two entries for the family with very early spellings: Matilda de Selleg, Richard de Selueleg, there in 1201. Years later, Henry de Schellay was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1297 and later Roger de Shelley was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. The Feet of Fines for Surrey for 1473 included and entry for John Shelley. 4 Early History of the Shiley familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shiley research. Another 154 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1297, 1480, 1513, 1526, 1549, 1567, 1589, 1644, 1666 and 1736 are included under the topic Early Shiley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Shiley Spelling VariationsAnglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Shelly, Shelley and others. Early Notables of the Shiley familyOutstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William Shelley (1480-1549), and English judge, the eldest son of Sir John Shelley (died 1526): Sir Richard Shelley (1513?-1589?), last grand prior of the knights of St. John in England, second...
Another 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shiley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Shiley familyBecause of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Shiley name or one of its variants: John Shelley who settled in Virginia in 1623; Robert Shelley settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1632; Joseph Shelley was banished to Barbados in 1685.
| Contemporary Notables of the name Shiley (post 1700) | + |
- James A. Shiley, American politician, Workers World Candidate for Presidential Elector for Michigan, 1984 5
| Historic Events for the Shiley family | + |
USS Arizona - Mr. Paul Eugene Shiley, American Seaman First Class from Pennsylvania, USA working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he died in the sinking 6
The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.
Motto: Fey e fidalgia
Motto Translation: Faith and fidelity
- Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html
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