Origin of the surname Colley

This very interesting name is of Old English and Anglo-Saxon origins from the period around the 8th Century A.D.. It derives from "colig" meaning "dark or swarthy" and was a descriptive word used by the fair-haired and fair-skinned Saxon invaders to describe the original "Old English" inhabitants, who were much darker in appearance. There is also a possibility that some name holders may derive from the Somerset "colley" meaning, "a blackbird" but the essential translation is the same. The name development includes Dande Colly (1219, Yorkshire), Philip Coli (1275, Worcestershire), and Willelmus Colley (1379, Yorkshire).

Robert Collie, aged twenty years, set sail in the "Hopewell" from the Port of London to Barbados, on February 17th 1634. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hugh Coly, which was dated 1212, in the "Kings Rolls of Yorkshire", during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland", 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

The surname Colley. Genealogy, origin, history, meaning, and significance

Discovering the historical roots of colley is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. The origin, the coat of arms or the different heraldic shields, and the bibliography in which the surname colley is mentioned are part of this exciting investigation. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname colley, and in addition to the original locations of colley, we can find out where people with the surname colley can currently be found. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of colley.

The surname Colley around the world

Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname colley. The list of countries with a higher presence of people with the surname colley provides us with a perspective on the history of the surname, beyond its origins, focusing on its migrations. The mobility of people carrying the surname colley has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.

History of Colley

The historical chronicle of colley is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. For those like you, who are interested in the history hidden behind the surname colley, it is essential to find all kinds of information, both direct and tangential, that helps to construct a solid narrative of how the birth and expansion of colley developed. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname colley are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname colley.

We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname colley, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. We keep our website updated through our own research and also thanks to contributions from people like you, after verification; so if you have information about colley and send it to us, we will update it on this website. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname colley or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of colley.

Notable Figures Named Colley

It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished colleys throughout human history. Sadly, not all the contributions of those who bore the surname colley were recorded by the chroniclers of the time. A surname like colley can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames. If you or someone you know bears the surname colley, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues. It is our desire to highlight in this section those individuals with the surname colley who, for various reasons, have left their mark on the course of history.

The surname Colley and its bibliographic sources

Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of colley. The origin, history, coat of arms or different coats of arms, and the heraldry of colley are recorded in a wide variety of sources and documents that are essential to know for better compilation. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname colley, as well as many other surnames. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of colley.

SOURCES

These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of colley, and at the same time, of surnames in general.

Origin of Colley