Nesten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

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

Early Origins of the Nesten family

The surname Nesten 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 Nesten family

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

Nesten 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. Nesten has been written Ness, Nesse, Nessan, Neeson and others.

Early Notables of the Nesten family

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

Migration of the Nesten family to Ireland

Some of the Nesten 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.

Migration of the Nesten family

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 Nesten: William Nesse, who arrived in Virginia in 1635; An Cath. Ness, who settled in New York in 1710; Michael Ness settled in Philadelphia in 1731; Matthias Ness, his wife and their six children, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1731.