Neysham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the bearers of the Neysham family name are thought have lived in ancient Anglo-Saxon England. They were first found 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 Neysham 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 Neysham 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 Neysham family

The surname Neysham 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 Neysham family

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

Neysham Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Neysham include Newsham, Newsam, Newsone, Newson, Newsholme, Newsun and many more.

Early Notables of the Neysham family

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

Migration of the Neysham family to Ireland

Some of the Neysham 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.

Migration of the Neysham family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Neysham or a variant listed above: James and Elizabeth Newsom, who came to Virginia in 1642; Leonard Newsham, who settled in Virginia in 1663; William Newsham, who came to Boston in 1680.

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)