The surname Sudlay was first found in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat at Sudely Castle. Conjecturally they are descended from the holder of these estates, Harold FitzRalph, said to be the illegitimate son of King Harold, 1 but counter claims say that he was the son of the Earl of Hereford. He was granted these lands by Duke William of Normandy after the Conquest of England in 1066 A.D. The Domesday Book survey of 1086 A.D., shows Harold as holding 6 mills. The Castle was erected soon after as a defense against the Welsh intrusions to the west.
Loading...
Early History of the Sudlay family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sudlay research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1140 is included under the topic Early Sudlay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Loading...
Sudlay 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 Sudlay 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 Sudlay include Sudeley, Sudely, Sudly, Sodely, Soudley, Soudly, Soudely and many more.
Loading...
Early Notables of the Sudlay family
More information is included under the topic Early Sudlay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Loading...
Migration of the Sudlay 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 Sudlay, or a variant listed above: John Sudley who settled in Carolina in 1717.
England
