John Keightley

Ancestors

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Biography

In my research of my Keightley family ancestors I have discovered some interesting facts.

On the origin of the name:-

KEIGHTLEY is a family name of English locational origin from a place in the West Riding of Yorkshire called Keighley. Recorded as Chichelai in the Domesday Book of 1086 and as Kikeleia in early Yorkshire Charters dated 1170, the first element may be either the Olde English pre 7th Century personal/nickname "cicca" from "cicen", a chicken, or the Olde Norse "kika" or "keik(r)" meaning a bend or a creek, plus the Olde English "leah", itself corresponding to the Olde Norse "lo" meaning a low lying meadow, hence, "Ciccca's meadow" or, "the meadow by a creek".  The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century, (see below). In the "modern" idiom the name has many spelling variations, Keigh(t)l(e)y, Keitley, Keatley, Keetley, Kightly, Kitlee and Kitley. On June 17th 1690 John Kettley married a Margaret Harvey in St. Katherine by the Tower, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Kighele, which was dated 1272, in the "Hundred Rolls of Lancashire", during the reign of King Edward 111, known as "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. In addition - KIHEL or KIKEL is a Saxon propername: and KIGHLEY, anciently KIGHELEY, is "the field of KIHEL". (COMMENT : and also not hard to start out with Kikel and to arrive at Kikel-ley, then Kikeley, and keitley then Keightley?). (because the Old English "niht" became "night" in modern times thus the prevalence of "ight" as spelling today)

From the Domesday Book of 1086: "In Cichhelai, Ulchel, and Thole, and Ravensuar, and William had six carucates to be taxed."

On the Town of Keighley:- Henry de Keighley, a Lancashire knight, was granted a charter to hold a market in Keighley on 17 October 1305 by King Edward I. The poll tax records of 1379 show that the population of Keighley, in the wapentake of Staincliffe in the West Riding of Yorkshire, was 109 people (47 couples and 15 single people).

Variations to the spelling:- During my research I have noticed the following: Keightley, Kightly, Kightley, Kightlie, Keighley, Keytley, Keetley, Kitlee, Kitley and possibly many more.

There are several recorded instances of a Keightley family member registering a birth or death in the Parish register with an incorrect spelling. The only assumption to be made is that that person was illiterate and allowed the Clergyman to assume his own interpretation. No surprise as some of these people were listed as being labourers, weavers etc. This is borne out by instances of Keightley's leaving their "mark" rather than signing a document.

Pronunciation:- There seems to be different accepted pronunciation of the name - where Keighley is accepted as KEETHLY in the UK and Keightley is pronounced KEETLY in Australia at least.

Sources

Wikipedia & Parish registers