Titeley History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Titeley

What does the name Titeley mean?

The name Titeley has a long Anglo-Saxon heritage. The name comes from when a family lived in the village of Tetley found in the counties of Lancashire and Cheshire. Titeley 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 Titeley 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 Titeley were named due to their close proximity to Taeta's wood clearing.

Early Origins of the Titeley family

The surname Titeley 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 Titeley family

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

Titeley Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Titeley have been found, including Tetley, Tetlow, Tetlaw, Titley and others.

Early Notables of the Titeley family

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

Migration of the Titeley family

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Titeley, 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 Titeley 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.