Map of England showing where the Feely arms are recorded
The Feely arms were recorded in Hants, c. 1620.
Hampshire had the naval dockyards at Portsmouth on one side and good farmland on the other. Sea money and land money both bought estates, and an estate was what brought a family its coat of 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 Feely 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 Hants.
Origin & History of the Feely Family in England
The family name Feely is primarily associated with Irish origins, specifically derived from the Gaelic name Ó Fithcheallaigh, which translates to a descendant of a chess player. While the name is deeply rooted in the history of County Galway and surrounding regions in Ireland, records indicate that members of the family were established in the English county of Hampshire by 1620. During the early seventeenth century, families often moved across the Irish Sea for trade, military service, or land management opportunities. The presence of the Feely name in Hampshire at this time suggests that these individuals were part of a broader movement of people integrating into English society during a period of significant political and social transition. By settling in southern England, these early family members helped establish a presence for the name outside of its traditional Gaelic heartland, marking a notable chapter in the family’s migration history.
Feely Meaning & Related Branches
Root word
O Foghladha
Derived from the Gaelic word for a plunderer or pirate.
This name
FeelyAn Anglicized form of an Irish surname denoting a descendant of a marauder.
also spelled
Flie
Flyee
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
roundelA coin, and one who has been to the crusades
