Show ContentsNes History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The chronicles of the Nes family reach back into Scottish history to an ancient tribe known as the Picts. The ancestors of the Nes family lived in any of a number of places called Ness, in Scotland and England. In this case, the surname Nes comes from the Old English word, ness, which means headland. Thus, the surname Nes means someone "from the headland." However, some references claim the name came from the Gaelic personal name Ness.

Early Origins of the Nes family

The surname Nes was first found in Fife, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Nes family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nes research. Another 115 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1093, 1153, 1160, 1180, 1260 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Nes History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nes Spelling Variations

When the first dictionaries were invented in the last few hundred years, spelling gradually became standardized. Before that time, scribes spelled according to sound. Names were often recorded under different spelling variations every time they were written. Nes has been written Ness, Nesse, Nessan, Neeson and others.

Early Notables of the Nes family

Notable amongst the Clan at this time was

  • Ness of Fife

Ireland Migration of the Nes family to Ireland

Some of the Nes family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 58 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Nes migration to the United States +

The crossing to North America did not seem so great in comparison with the hardships many Scots endured at home. It was long, expensive, and cramped, but also rewarding. North America offered land and the chance for settlers to prove themselves in a new place. And many did prove themselves as they fought to forge a new nation in the American War of Independence. The ancestors of those Scots can now experience much of their once-lost heritage through the Clan societies and highland games that have sprung up across North America in the last century. A search of immigration and passenger lists revealed many important, early immigrants to North America bearing the name of Nes:

Nes Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Israel Nes, who arrived in America in 1620 1
Nes Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Nes, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1853 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Nes (post 1700) +

  • Henry Nes (1799-1850), American politician, Representative from Pennsylvania 15th District, 1843-45, 1847-50; Died in office 1850 2
  • Mary F. Van Nes, American politician, Candidate for Mayor of Yonkers, New York, 1961 3


  1. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 18) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  3. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, December 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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