Show ContentsTakly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Takly family

The surname Takly was first found in Oxfordshire at Tackley, a parish, in the union of Woodstock, hundred of Wootton. 1 The place name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first listed as Tachelie. 2

Literally the place name means "woodland clearing of a man called Taecca, or where young sheep are kept," derived from the Old English personal name or from the Old English "tacca" + "leah." 3

William the Conqueror granted the manor of Tackley to Hugh d'Avranches, 1st Earl of Chester. The family was first recorded in the area during the reign of Edward I. 4

The first listing in early rolls was Sanson Tachel, who in 1165, held a knight's fee of the old feoffment of Roger de Moubray in Yorkshire 5 and four and a half of his Lincolnshire fief 6.

John Takel held at Traneby, in the East Riding or Yorkshire 7. Beatrix, daughter of Gilbert Thakel, was the wife of William de Wentworth of Wentworth-Woodhouse (acquired by his father through an heiress in the time of Henry III.), and the mother of two sons: 1. William, ancestor of the Earls of Strafford; and 2. Richard, Bishop of London and Chancellor of England in 1338. 8

About 1272, Magister Galfrid Takel, Simon Thakel, and Ralph Thakel all occur in the same county: and Alan, Benedict, Matthew, and Robert Takel in Oxfordshire. - Rotuli Hundredorum. The latter was Marshal of Woodstock in 1280: and more than a hundred years after that, a Robert Takel was Prior of Rosedale in Yorkshire. A third Robert, Rector of Marsh-Gibbon in Cambridgeshire, died in 1479. 8

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also included: William de Takeleye, Essex; Agnes de Takele, Oxfordshire; Robert de Takkele, Oxfordshire; and Willani de Tackeleg, Essex. 9

Early History of the Takly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Takly research. Another 142 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1194, 1200, 1202, 1273, 1325 and 1529 are included under the topic Early Takly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Takly Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Tackley, Takely, Takly, Tackly, Takel, Tackell and many more.

Early Notables of the Takly family

More information is included under the topic Early Takly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Takly family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Takly or a variant listed above: the name represented in many forms and recorded from the mid 17th century in the great migration from Europe. Migrants settled in the eastern seaboard from Newfoundland, to Maine, to Virginia, the Carolinas, and to the islands..



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  4. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  5. Liber Niger Scutarii ("Black Book of the Exchequer"), containing reports by county on feudal holdings in England in 1166 (reign of Henry II)
  6. Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
  7. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  8. 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
  9. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)


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