Nobbs History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Nobbs family

The surname Nobbs was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1273 when Geoffry Nobhe held estates in that county.

Early History of the Nobbs family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nobbs research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Nobbs History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nobbs Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Nobbs were recorded, including Nob, Nobb, Nobbs, Nobbes, Nobby, Nobbys, Nobbies, Nop, Nopp, Noppe and many more.

Early Notables of the Nobbs family

More information is included under the topic Early Nobbs Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nobbs migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Nobbs family emigrate to North America:

Nobbs Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Nobbs, who arrived in Maryland in 1673 1
Benjamin Nobbs, who landed in Maryland in 1697-1698 1

Nobbs migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Nobbs Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Nobbs, English convict who was convicted in Kent, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
William Nobbs, English convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "Anson" on September 23, 1843, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 3
Martha Nobbs, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1851 aboard the ship "Reliance" 4
Miss Maria Nobbs, Jr., (b. 1832), aged 20, English confectioner who was convicted in Clerkenwell, London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land), she died in 1888 5
Charles Nobbs, aged 34, a carpenter, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "Emigrant" 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Nobbs migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Nobbs Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

John Nobbs, aged 35, a farmer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Mary Nobbs, aged 34, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Sophia Nobbs, aged 10, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Samuel Nobbs, aged 8, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
Mary Nobbs, aged 4, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Salisbury" in 1876
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Nobbs (post 1700) +

Keith Nobbs (b. 1979), American stage, television, and film actor
David Gordon Nobbs (1935-2015), English comedy writer and humanist, best known for his series The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin
George Hunn Nobbs (1799-1884), Irish missionary on Pitcairn Island then Norfolk Island
Percy Erskine Nobbs (1875-1964), Canadian architect born in Haddington, Scotland
Andre Nobbs, political figure from the Australian territory of Norfolk Island

Citations +

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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anson voyage to Van Diemen's Land, Australia in 1843 with 499 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anson/1843
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) RELIANCE 1851. Retrieved http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Reliance.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
South Australian Register Wednesday 25th October 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Emigrant 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/emigrant1854.shtml