Tettley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Etymology of Tettley

The name Tettley is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the village of Tetley found in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. Tettley 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 Tettley 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 Tettley were named due to their close proximity to Taeta's wood clearing.

Early Origins of the Tettley family

Early History of the Tettley family

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

Tettley Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Tettley are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. 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. The variations of the name Tettley include: Tetley, Tetlow, Tetlaw, Titley and others.

Early Notables of the Tettley family

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

Migration of the Tettley family

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Tettley 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.