Callies
This name CALLIES was derived from the Old French ‘cale’ a maker of head-dresses for women. The
name was probably brought to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. Early records of the name mention CALLE (without surname) who was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086.In 1086 the compilation of the Domesday Book was ordered by William the Conqueror (1027-87), king of England from
1066. He was born in Failaise, the bastard son of Robert, Duke of Normandy, by Arlette, a tanner’s daughter. On his father’s death in 1035, the nobles accepted him as a duke. When Edward the Confessor, king of England died in 1066, William invaded England that Autumn, on 14th October, 1066 killing Harold (who had become King). English government under William assumed a more feudal aspect, the king’s tenants-in-chief and all title to land was derived from his grants, and the Domesday Book contains details of the land settlements, and the names of the owners of such.Cale (without surname) was documented in
1275 in County Worcester. William atte Calle was documented in County Lancashire in the year 1307. Sanus Calle of Yorkshire, was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379. The name has many variant spellings which include Calle and Caules. The rise of surnames, according to the accepted theory, was due to the Norman Conquest of 1066 when Old English personal-names were rapidly superseded by the new christian names introduced by the Normans. Of these, only a few were really popular and in the 12th century this scarcity of christian names led to the increasing use of surnames to distinguish the numerous individuals of the same name. Some Normans had hereditary surnames before they came to England, but there is evidence that surnames would have developed in England even had there been no Norman
Conquest. The development of the feudal system made it essential that the king should know exactly what service each person owed. Payments to and by the exchequer required that debtors and creditors should be particularized, and it became official that each individual acquired exact identification.
ARMS – Gules three trumpets fesswise in pale argent
CREST – A demi lion rampant holding in the paws a trumpet as in the arms
MOTTO – GRATA MANU With a grateful hand
