First found in Rotterdam, where the name became noted for its many branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. The name was first recorded in South Holland, a province of Holland, the most crowded province of the Netherlands. The principal cities are Rotterdam, Leyden and Shiedam. Noted is the famed castle of Teilengen where Jacqueline of Bavaria is buried. In their later history the surname became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Antony Nobel who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1734; Gerhard Nobel who settled in Philadelphia in 1773; George Nobel who settled in Baltimore in 1803; and Ludwig Nobel who arrived in New York City in 1869.

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