Sullo is one of the names that was brought to
England in the wave of migration following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The Sullo family lived in
Devon. Ancient records reveal the name Sullo is derived from the Old English word
saelig, meaning
one who is happy and blessed.Early Origins of the Sullo family
The surname Sullo was first found in
Devon where they were granted lands by William the Conqueror for their assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D. They were Lords of the manor of Rackenford, and were conjecturally descended from Jocelyn who held the lands at the time of the taking of the
Domesday Book in 1086 A.D. from Baldwin, the Sheriff. The family may have originated in
Cornwall as in "John Silly, gentleman of St. Wenn, altered his name from Ceely to Silly."
[1]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lowe, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print. No dates were given with the previous quote.
One of the earliest records of the name was Henry de Sully (or Soilli) (died 1195), was a medieval monk, prior of Bermondsey Abbey in 1186, Bishop of Worcester (1193-1195) and Abbot of Glastonbury.
William, Count of Sully, also known as William the Simple (c. 1085-c. 1150) was Count of Blois and Count of Chartres from 1102 to 1107, and jure uxoris Count of Sully. William was the eldest son of Stephen-Henry, Count of Blois and Adela of Normandy, daughter of William the Conqueror. In 1104, William married Agnes of Sully, the heiress to the lordship of Sully-sur-Loire. Together they had six children including Henry de Sully (died 1189), the medieval Abbot of Fécamp and Bishop-designate of Salisbury and Archbishop-elect of York in 1140.
Over in France, Maurice de Sully (died 1196) was Bishop of Paris from 1160 until his death. He is best known for overseeing the building of Notre Dame Catherdaral.
Early History of the Sullo family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sullo research.
Another 183 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1361, 1283, 1388, 1680, 1729 and 1718 are included under the topic Early Sullo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Sullo Spelling Variations
Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime.
Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Sullo family name include Silley, Silly, Cele, Sully, Silliman and others.
Early Notables of the Sullo family (pre 1700)
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Sully (born c.1283-c.1388), of Ruxford and Iddesleigh in Devonshire, an English knight. The family were traditional lords of the manor of Iddesleigh in Devonshire. He was noted for giving evidence in Scrope v Grosvenor, one of the earliest heraldic law cases...
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sullo Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Sullo family to Ireland
Some of the Sullo family moved to
Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Sullo family to the New World and Oceana
To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Sullo family to immigrate North America: Edward Silley settled in Virginia in 1635; Sarah Silley settled in Maryland in 1737; Hugh and John Silly settled in Barbados in 1660; Thomas Silly landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1877.