Toye History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Toye is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. Toye is a name that comes from the Old French given name Tieis. Early records typically had the name in the Latin form: Teutonicus.

This name more often than not, is usually seen in ancient records in what one would presume to be the plural form, as in Teys. However this is not the case. "This was a baronial name. The family of Teutonicus, or Tyes, is frequently mentioned both in Normandy and England, and may possibly have descended from Baldric Teutonicus, ancestor of the Courcys and Nevills." 1

Early Origins of the Toye family

The surname Toye was first found in Yorkshire where "at a very small distance from the field of battle of Towton stands the antique and diminutive chapel of Leod, or Lede, which seems to have been domestic to the adjoining manor house. This was one of the seats of the ancient family of Tyas, styling themselves in Latin Teutonicus, five of whose tombs still remain in the chapel, which, as I recollect, is little more than eighteen feet long within. The inscriptions, in Longobardic characters, are partly visible. This family De Tyas appear to have been magnificent persons. Sir Baldwin Teutonicus is styled nobilis miles, and a lady, probably his wife, nobilis faemina." 2

"The name was by no means confined to Yorkshire. There was a Waleran Teutonicus, who, in the time of Henry III., had the custody of the Isle of Wight during the minority of Earl Baldwin. Roger de Teie occurs in Oxfordshire 1194-98 (Curia Regis Rolls). Sir Walter de Teys in 1316 held Bromham in Bedfordshire, and Nunnington, in Yorkshire. He was summoned to parliament at Northampton in 1307, and again the following year for the King's coronation." 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 included: Warin Toy, Cambridgeshire; and A. Wydo Toye, Suffolk. Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of Yorkshire listed Johannes Toye; and Willelmus Toye as holding lands there at that time. 3

In Essex, the Feet of Fines included Walter de Teye in 1294. 4 Here the family gave their name to Great Tey, Little Tey and in part to Marks Tey. Collectively dating back to Saxon times when they were known c. 950 as Tygan, by the time of the Domesday Book of 1086 the parish was known as Teia. 5 The latter, Tey Marks "takes the present adjunct to its name from the family of Marks, or Merks, to whom it anciently belonged." 6

"Sir Henry Tyes, who held lands in Oxfordshire, Berkshire, and Wiltshire, was a Baron by writ in 13 13. He served Edward II. in his Scottish wars; but, in 1322, taking part with the Earl of Lancaster, he was in arms against the King, attacked and burnt Bridgenorth, and 'was one of the traitors that assisted in taking the town of Gloucester.' He was made prisoner at the battle of Boroughbridge, and hanged for treason." 2

Early History of the Toye family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Toye research. Another 75 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1378, 1540, 1541, 1556, 1577, 1611, 1628, 1630, 1634, 1643 and 1663 are included under the topic Early Toye History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Toye Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Tey, Tay, Teyas, They, Toye, Teye and others.

Early Notables of the Toye family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Humphrey Toy, (1540-1577), English printer, born probably in London about 1540, son of Robert Toy, printer. His father (d. 1556) possibly came originally from Wales. Before 1541, he had set up a printing press at the sign of the Bell in St. Paul's Churchyard. He died in February 1556. John Toy (1611-1663), was an English author, son...
Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Toye Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Toye family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Toye or a variant listed above were: George Tay and his wife settled in Philadelphia in 1764; D. and S. Tay arrived in San Francisco in 1853; Catherine Teye settled in Virginia in 1651; John Tey settled in Philadelphia in 1748..

Contemporary Notables of the name Toye (post 1700) +

Dorothy Toye, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1984 7
Brigadier Alfred Maurice Toye VC MC (1897-1955), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
John Francis Toye (1883-1964), English music critic, teacher and writer
Edward Geoffrey Toye (1889-1942), English conductor, composer and opera producer
John Toye (1936-1992), Scottish presenter and newsreader on Scottish Television for over 20 years
Wendy Toye CBE (1917-2010), British dancer, stage and film director and actress

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
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
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 26) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html