Newsam History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the name Newsam date back to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from their residence in one of the various places called Newsham, Newsam, or Newsholme. These names are common in the north of England and all mean at the new houses. The surname Newsam belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The surname Newsam belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. The name is derived from the Old English words niwe + hus which are an earlier form of niwum or husum which means "place at the new houses". 1

Early Origins of the Newsam family

The surname Newsam was first found in West Yorkshire where the village of Newsome can still be found today, located about 1 mile south of Huddersfield. Newsholme is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire and a township named Newsholm is found in the parish of Gisburne, near Clitheroe in the West Rising of Yorkshire. There are numerous entries in the Domesday Book using the spellings: Neuhusum, Newhusum, Neuhuse and others 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list the following: Willelmus de Newsom, dwelling at Newsholm; Alicia de Neusom; and Willelmus de Newsome. 3

Newsham Abbey was an abbey in Newsham, a small hamlet north of Brocklesby village in Lincolnshire. The abbey was the first Premonstratensian house established in England, in 1143. It was suppressed in 1536, and today parts of the abbey are visible as earthworks.

Early History of the Newsam family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Newsam research. Another 81 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1721 and 1743 are included under the topic Early Newsam History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Newsam Spelling Variations

Newsam has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Newsam have been found, including Newsham, Newsam, Newsone, Newson, Newsholme, Newsun and many more.

Early Notables of the Newsam family

Another 31 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Newsam Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Newsam family to Ireland

Some of the Newsam family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Newsam migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Newsams to arrive on North American shores:

Newsam Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Eliz Newsam, who landed in Virginia in 1650 4

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)