England was contended for by three factions: The Saxons, the Vikings and Normandy. The Saxons had claim by being there and in possession of the lands. Norway and Denmark had legal claims and had often invaded. the island. Their stongest base was, of course, in the northern part of Great Britain. William of Normandy claimed England by right of bequest. It seems that Edward the Confessor, King of England exiled to Normandy, trusted William more than any of his Saxon earls and designated William his successor.
William decided to lay claim to his inheritance so he sailed with his army across the channel. Harold was fresh from defeating the Vikings and had made sure his claim...now he must face the Normans. Harold marched on October 11th to Hastings He arrived the night of October 13th or 14th . The next morning, he gave battle. William's disciplined and loyal army won the battle. Harold was killed. Those loyal to William gained land and spoil. It is likely that the first Mallorys of England were among these as it is in the 1100s that the name first starts appearing in documents.(History of Western Civilization, Dr. E. L. Skip Knox,Boise State University 'Last revised: 1 August 1995}
"There are several different theories about the origin of the family name. There are many variations on the spelling of the name--including Malory, Mallorie, Malore, Malri and Maleure--but however spelt , are connected t the same roots. The spelling varied with the practice of each scriber and the fashion of the day so that in modern times kinship is often obscured. In this book and in the pedigrees the modern convention of writing the name "Mallory" is observed unless a specific point is being made.
The name seems to appear suddenly in the records during the reign of King Stephen. Some speculation says that they Mallorys came first from Fulcher de Malsour from Brittany. This is doubtful as he is first identified from "The Battle Abbey Roll" written by the Duchess of Cleveland in 1889....There is no original "Battle Abbey roll:; of the three purported copies of it Holinshed's in 1577 and the Duchene's later copy, contained the mane Mallory (Malory). there are no fewer than 29 names in the Duchess's Index that begin with the prefix 'Mal'. The earliest (Dorset) name of Maloret does not appear. If 'Mallory' were copied from the original roll, here would have been no need to derive it from 'Malsoures 'not in the Roll. Reany derives Mallory from the old French 'Maloret', and says it means Maleure...unfortunate, accable de maux; The closest translation is weighed with misfortunes;, possible some exceptional physical drawback--nobly borne? However, G. F. Garbutt suggests a connection with the word 'maillerie'--a breaking mill for hemp used in the textile trade. There are several towns so named in France, notably La Mailleraye sur Seine. Holinshed says that in 'the Roll of Battel Abbeie, the names are not surnames but the names of the places where they were landholders'. Professor John Rhys in Everyman's Morte d'Arthur, quoted Dr. Somer, who states that 'Malory connects itself with derived Latin, Mailorius'; but Latin gives us infelix' for 'unlucky'....
Lewis C. Lloyd in 'Origins of some Anglo-Norman Families (1951)gives: 'Malory. Tessancourt. Seirn-et-Oise, arr. Versailles. Cant. Meulan. Feodary of Philip Augustus 1204-1208: Reodum Anguetini Malore de Tessancourt'. The arms of Melleret, Auvergne" 'D'Or au leon de Gules' may also be noted. These two instances are rather later than the early Mallorys in Britain. Tessancourt is the next parish to Meulan, the Caput' of Robert, Comte de Meulan, the first earl of Leicester.....
The first record of them using the name Mallory, in in Leicestershire before 1174. The coat of arms of this family was a gold shield charged with a red rampant fork-tailed lion.... " Several other options are given in the Book.
("A HISTORY OF THE MALLORY FAMILY" by S.V. Mallory Smith, published by PHILLIMORE CO LTD, Shopwyke Hall Chichester, Sussex, 1985)
"After the time of King Stephen, the Mallory family is recorded as holding manors and lands in many counties, including Leicesershire, Lincolnshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Rutland, Camridgeshire, Yorkshire and Cheshire. Of the considerable properties they once owned, the last to be sold by a member of the family was Shelton in 1714. Some of their manor houses still exist, as do several of their memorials, but it is believed that only two houses retain Mallory artifacts and only the triple portrait at Studley Royal, and one other portrait, are known to be extant."
("A HISTORY OF THE MALLORY FAMILY" by S.V. Mallory Smith, published by PHILLIMORE CO LTD, Shopwyke Hall Chichester, Sussex, 1985)
Home Page