Show ContentsTetlo History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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  • England
Tetlo Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Tetlo

What does the name Tetlo mean?

The ancestors of the bearers of the Tetlo family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found in the village of Tetley found in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. Tetlo is a topographic surname, which was given to a person who resided near a physical feature such as a hill, stream, church, or type of tree. During the Middle Ages, as society became more complex, individuals needed a way to be distinguishable from others. Toponymic surnames were developed as a result of this need. Various features in the landscape or area were used to distinguish people from one another. In this case the surname Tetlo was originally derived from the Old English personal name Taeta from the Old Norse word Teitr meaning cheerful and the Old English word leah menaing wood clearing. In this case the original bearers of the surname Tetlo were named due to their close proximity to Taeta's wood clearing.

Early Origins of the Tetlo family

The surname Tetlo was first found in Shropshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, before and after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Early History of the Tetlo family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tetlo research. Another 96 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tetlo History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tetlo Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Tetlo include Tetley, Tetlow, Tetlaw, Titley and others.

Early Notables of the Tetlo family

More information is included under the topic Early Tetlo Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Tetlo family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Tetlo or a variant listed above: Nicholas Tetlow settled in Virginia in 1635; James, John, Thomas, and William Tetlow arrived in Philadelphia between 1860 and 1880.

The Tetlo 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: Praemium virtutis honor
Motto Translation: Honor is the reward of virtue.


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