Show ContentsSutlive History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon name Sutlive comes from when the family resided in the area known as Sutcliffe which had three locations in the county of Yorkshire. The surname Sutlive is a habitation name that was originally derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname originated as a means of identifying individuals from a particular area. In the Middle Ages people often assumed the name of the place that they originally lived as their surname during the course of travel. In this case the surname was originally derived from the Old English words sùd meaning south and clif meaning slope or cliff. Therefore the original bearers of the name were referred to as the dwellers by the south cliffs.

Early Origins of the Sutlive family

The surname Sutlive was first found in Lancashire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

The name was originally spelled Cartcliff, later becoming Skatcliffe, late Scaytcliffe, later Scaitliffe, later Scaytcliffe, later Skaitcliff, and later particularly when the branches included Yorkshire, Sutcliffe. From about 1470 the Crossleys acquired Skatclyffe Hall in the parish of Rochdale in Lancashire, and continued a series of intermarriages with their cousins in Yorkshire.

Early History of the Sutlive family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sutlive research. Another 116 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1550 and 1629 are included under the topic Early Sutlive History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sutlive Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Sutlive include Sutcliff, Sutcliffe, Sutliff, Southcliffe and many more.

Early Notables of the Sutlive family

Another 39 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sutlive Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Sutlive family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: Sara and William Sutcliff and their 21 year old son Robert, who settled in New York in 1820; James Sutcliffe settled in Virginia in 1729; George, John, Joseph, Samuel and William Sutcliffe arrived in Philadelphia between 1841 and 1876..


Contemporary Notables of the name Sutlive (post 1700) +

  • W. G. Sutlive, American politician, Member of Georgia State House of Representatives from Chatham County, 1923-24 1
  • Kirk Sutlive, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Georgia, 1940 1


The Sutlive Motto +

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: Foy en tout
Motto Translation: Faith in all


  1. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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