Erleigh / Earle Family History

Surnames/tags: Erleigh Earle Erle

All Erleigh Name Study Categories and Pages

---

Contents 1 The Erleigh / Earle Family Surname History 1.1 The Erleigh Surname Origin 1.2 The Lands in Berkshire 1.3 The Lands in Sommerset 1.4 John de Erleigh - The First of His Name 1.5 Earle, Earles, Erle, Erles 1.6 The Erleigh / Earle One Name Study

The Erleigh / Earle Family Surname History

(Erleigh is Pronounced: ER-LAY or ER-LEE)

Quoted from the book: Ralph Earle and his decendents:

In a communication from a member of the London Genealogical Society, the writer says:

"The family of Earle is of very ancient origin, and can be traced back, most probably, to a Saxon ancestor, prior to the Norman conquest ; but certainly I find evidences proving that, at the time of Henry the Second (who was crowned A. D. 1154), they were of Beckington, in the County of Somerset."

This authority is confirmed by Sir Bernard Burke, who, in his account of the family in the "Dictionary of the Landed Gentry of Great Britain and Ireland," says :

"So far back as the seventh (year of the reign of) Henry the Second, John de Erlegh paid five marks for the scutage of his lands at Beckington."

Our London correspondent goes on to say :

"In the time of Henry the Third (who reigned from A. D. 1216 to A. D. 1272) Henry de Erle was Lord of Newton, in County Somerset. The Earles were also Lords of North Petherton, in the same County; and, later on, in the time of Edward the Second (who was crowned in 1307), they were Lords of the Manor of Somerton Parva, also called Somerton Erleigh, in the County of Somerset, which they held by grand sergeancy as King's Chamberlain; and in the forty-fifth year of the reign of Edward the Third (who was crowned in 1327), they held lands in the same County, by service of pouring water on the King's hands on Easter or Christmas day.

The Erleigh Surname Origin

The Erleigh family derived their surname as a land “place name” from an estate called Erleigh in the parish of Sonning, Berkshire, England (Feudal Aids, Berkshire, p.47,56,70). The "Erleigh" land and manors was granted to the family by Henry I between 1100- 1135.

There were two existing manors on the estate, which were called Erleigh St. Nicholas, also known as Erleigh Regis and later called Erleigh Whiteknights, and Erleigh St. Bartholomew which was later called Erleigh Court.

A third manor called Maiden Erleigh was formed later out of Erleigh St Nicholas as a gift of land by John de Erleigh to Robert de Erleigh in 1362.

According to the Domesday Survey of 1086, the manor Erleigh St. Nicholas, was held before 1066 by Almar (a SAXON) in alod (Freehold) of King Edward the Confessor, and at the time of the Survey (1086), was part of the royal demesne (holding). It was assessed at four hides which means there was enough land for four households.

There is an interesting story about how the names "Erleigh Whiteknights" and "Maiden Erleigh" came about. https://earlefamilyhistory.com/the-manor-of-maiden-erleigh-earley/

In addition to the manors, there was also a Catholic Convent on the land, but it isn’t recorded in the Domesday survey. (see: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/berks/vol2/pp73-77).

The land called Erleigh (Earley) with these two manors existed before the Norman conquest (1066 AD). It is not known exactly when the manors were built or how long these lands had been occupied by the family. The Domesday Survey of 1086 records the name of the land as "Herlei" and "Erlei". The Domesday Book spelling is the Latin spelling. The Erleigh land still exists and is the modern-day town of Earley Berkshire.

Earley in Berkshire.

Modern Day Earley: https://goo.gl/maps/b4kLyz2MbgxKmv3D7

The family surname, which was originally spelled Erleigh, was changed to "de Erleigh" during the time of the Norman Kings. The "de" is a French nomenclature indicating "from" so de Erleigh means "from Erleigh." The surname appears in historical records as de Erleia, de Earley, de Erley, d'Erley, de Herlegh, Earley, Erlee, de Arle, Arley, etc.

Many hundreds of place names have Ley or Leigh within them – which is Anglo-Saxon for wood or clearing. In Berkshire, this would apply to both Earley and Woodley.

The Lands in Berkshire

The family holdings in Berkshire included, at various times, the manors of Erley Regis (Whitenights) and Maiden Erley in the hundred of Sonning, the manors of Charlton, South Denchworth, and Cleets in the hundred of Wantage, the manor of Midgham in the hundred of Reading and the manor of Barkham in the hundred of Charlton. In the Doomsday Book of 1086, the manor of Erley (Herlei) is assessed at 4 hides Domesday Book Entry shown in the National Archives Website. https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/discover-domesday/interpreting-domesday.htm.

The Lands in Sommerset

While they took their surname from Erleigh in Berkshire, the family also held considerable property in the County of Somerset, which was their original principal residence. These possessions included the county manors of Beckington, Durston, Babcary, Michael's Church, the manor and hundred of North Petherton, and the manor of Somerton, also referred to as Somerton-Parva and Somerton-Erleigh ("History and antiquity of the county of Somerset by Rev. John Collison (first 3 volumes),v.2,p.198).

The Family holdings were enough that the Family was considered to be minor Barons.

John de Erleigh - The First of His Name

The surname of this family of knightly rank stems from John de Erleigh, who first appears in records as a knight in the Reign of Henry II (5 March 1133 – 6 July 1189 ). John de Erleigh was the first in recorded history to use this surname. He was most likely the first son born on these lands after they were granted to the family by King Henry I so it would make sense that he would be John de (de means "of") Erleigh.

The first record that John de Erleigh exists is found in the seventh year of Henry II (1161). He paid five marks for the scutage of his lands at Beckington, Somerset, and at that time, he also held the manor and hundred of North Petherton.

John de Erleigh then died in 1165, and in the same year, his widow, Adela, again paid 5 marks scutage. He was succeeded by his son William de Erleigh.

Under feudalism, the king, through his vassals, provided land to knights for their support. The knights owed the king military service in return. Scutage is a medieval English tax levied on holders of a knight's fee under the feudal land tenure of knight service. The Scutage tax was paid when you were unable to respond or serve when the King called.

The Erleigh family lines quickly expanded through many counties, from Somerset to Wiltshire and Devon, from Devon to Dorset, and from Dorset to Essex.

From John de Erleigh (d. 1165), we have in the “line of succession” or inheritance following the firstborn sons ten successive generations of males in Somerset and Berkshire, then at the eleventh generation, we have no male heir and only a daughter named Margaret de Erleigh who inherits all the lands. See: Erleigh Surname - English Patriarchs.

Much of the earliest history of this family has been documented by Christopher Earls Brennen in his online book called EARLS FAMILY CHRONICLES (CHAPTER ONE ANCIENT TRACES)

http://brennen.caltech.edu/earls/chap1.htm

Earle, Earles, Erle, Erles

Over time the surname name has morphed in both England and America to Earle, Erle, Earl, Earll, Earls, Earles, Earley, and possibly Hurley, Searly and Darley, Dearly.

I am Glenn Earls and I have begun documenting the Erleigh family history at https://earlefamilyhistory.com/

The Erleigh / Earle One Name Study

Join the Erleigh / Earle One Name Study Erleigh / Earle One Name Study