A record of documented arms, meaning and origin, researched for the Elley family of England.
Reg. 9477 · English, D–F
Coat of Arms & Family Crest Details
Symbols on this shield
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
Colours
Red (Gules)Means: Military strength
Gold (Or)Means: Generosity
Historical info
Source
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Blazon (the actual original written record)
“Gu. two dolphins hauriant endorsed or”
Englandc. 1620
Where the Elley Arms Were Recorded
York
Map of England showing where the Elley arms are recorded
The Elley arms were recorded in England, c. 1620.
Arms such as these were typically recorded in York.
Yorkshire is the largest of the English counties, and it held more gentry families than any other. Land there was split among a great many households rather than a few, so a great many of them carried arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Elley arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of England.
Origin & History of the Elley Family in England
The surname Elley is deeply rooted in the history of Northern England, with documented evidence placing members of the family in the city of York as early as 1620. During this period, York served as a bustling center for trade and religious life, and families like the Elleys were often part of the growing merchant or artisan classes that defined the city’s character. The name itself likely evolved from a locative origin, potentially referring to individuals who lived near a specific meadow or clearing, as the Old English word "leah" often denoted such a landscape. By settling in a major urban hub like York, the early Elleys were positioned at the intersection of regional commerce and local governance. Their presence in parish registers and municipal records from the seventeenth century suggests that they were established residents who contributed to the social fabric of the city during a time of significant national change.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Aethel
Old English element meaning noble or of noble birth.
This name
ElleyA locational surname derived from a meadow or clearing belonging to a noble person.
also spelled
Elly
Ellie
Ellee
Elleis
Related arms
Elleis, or Ellesvariant spelling
Ellyvariant spelling
Elyvariant spelling
Waderecorded with Elley, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of British Surnames, 1958
Borthwick Institute for Archives, York Diocesan Records: Parish Registers of York St. Martin-le-Grand, 1620
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dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
dolphinSwiftness, charity and love
