Show ContentsThorley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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Thorley Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Thorley

What does the name Thorley mean?

Thorley is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Thorley family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Thorley family lived in the parish of Thorley in the union of Bishop-Stortford, hundred of Braughin, county of Hertford or at Thorley, a parish, in the liberty of West Medina, Isle of Wight division of the county of Southampton. 1 2 3

Both locales date back to the Domesday Book where they were listed as "Torlei" 4 They literally meant "thorn-tree wood or clearing," from the Old English "thorn" + "lea." 5

Early Origins of the Thorley family

The surname Thorley was first found in Hertfordshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Thorley at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book Census in 1086, a census initiated by King William, Duke of Normandy after his conquest of England in 1066 A.D. In 1086, Thorley consisted of a Mill and a village and was held by Rodhere from the Bishop of London who was the tenant in chief. Conjecturally, the Thorleys are descended from this Norman noble.

By the thirteenth century, the family had scattered throughout ancient Britain. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Robert de Torly in Sussex; and Thomas de Torlaye, or Thorlay, or Thorley in Lincolnshire. 6

John Thorley was one of the burgesses for Lincoln in the parliament of 1397. 7

In Norfolk, Adam de Thorle was listed there in 1337 and the same source notes Theobald de Thorlee, there temp. Henry V (during the reign of King Henry V.) 8

"Ernald de Torley, about the reign of Henry III., held half a fee in West Winch of Simon Fitz Richard, and he of the Earl of Clare." - Blomfield's Norfolk.

Early History of the Thorley family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Thorley research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1506, 1530, 1560, 1570, 1686 and 1753 are included under the topic Early Thorley History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thorley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Thorley have been found, including Thorley, Thorleigh, Thawley, Thurley, Thurlby, Thurleigh and many more.

Early Notables of the Thorley family

Thomas Thirlby or Thirleby (1506?-1570), the first and only bishop of Westminster, and afterwards successively bishop of Norwich and Ely, son of John Thirleby, scrivener and town clerk...
Another 27 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Thorley Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Thorley migration to the United States +

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Thorley were among those contributors:

Thorley Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • James Thorley, who landed in Virginia in 1622 10
Thorley Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jane Thorley, who landed in America in 1766

Thorley migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet
  • Mr. Samuel Thorley, (1768 - 1821), aged 22, British settler convicted in London, England in 1785, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Active" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 9
Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Thorley Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Thorley who was convicted in Stafford, Staffordshire, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 24th March 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 11
  • Mr. Samuel Thorley, British Convict who was convicted in Chester, England for 14 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 12
  • Reuben Thorley, English convict from Staffordshire, who was transported aboard the "Adelaide" on August 08, 1849, settling in Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia 13

Contemporary Notables of the name Thorley (post 1700) +

  • Harry G. Thorley (b. 1897), American Republican politician, Rancher; Chair of Keya Paha County Republican Party, 1940 14
  • Wilfrid Thorley (1878-1963), English poet and translator
  • Sir Gerald Bowers Thorley, Chairman, Allied Breweries Ltd., Norfolk
  • Gavin Howard Thorley (1947-2022), New Zealand long-distance runner who competed in the men's 5000 metres at the 1972 Summer Olympics
  • Dianne "Di" Thorley (b. 1949), Australian politician and the current mayor of Toowoomba, Queensland
  • Charles Graham Thorley, Secretary, Ministry of Technology and DTI, Dorset
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Frederick Thorley, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 15
  • Mr. Jonathon Thorley, aged 15, English Lamp Trimmer from Brighton, Sussex who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 13 16

The Thorley 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: Fide et fiducia
Motto Translation: By fidelity and confidence.
  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
  4. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  5. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  6. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  7. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 3 of 3
  8. Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
  9. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
  10. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  11. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
  12. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
  13. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 17) Adelaide voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Port Phillip, Australia in 1849 with 303 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/adelaide/1849
  14. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, August 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  15. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  16. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html

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