Nie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Nie is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived near a river. Nie is a local surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. There are a variety of types of local surnames, some of which include: topographic surnames, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. This surname comes from the Old English phrase, atten (e)ye, which means "at the island." 1 This surname was first found in England in the county of Essex.

Early Origins of the Nie family

The surname Nie was first found in Essex, where they were established early in the medieval period. 2

Kirby's Quest listed Thoma atte Nye, Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 3

Early History of the Nie family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nie research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1207, 1269, 1276, 1315, 1648 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Nie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nie Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Nie has been spelled many different ways, including Nye, Nie, Nay, Ney and others.

Early Notables of the Nie family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nie migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Nies to arrive in North America:

Nie Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Conrath Nie, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1754 4
John and Anna Eliza Nie who settled in Pennsylvania in 1771

Contemporary Notables of the name Nie (post 1700) +

Olga Scheltema-de Nie (1939-2023), Dutch scientist and politician. A member of Democrats 66, she served in the House of Representatives from 1989 to 2002

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
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)