Show ContentsNielde History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Nielde reached English shores for the first time with the ancestors of the Nielde family as they migrated following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Nielde family lived in Berkshire where Willelmus filius Nigelli was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 While this may seem like a stretch form the modern day spellings of the name, we must remember that name entries at this time were in Latin. In fact later, another Willelmus Nigelli was listed in Wiltshire according to the Feet of Fines for 1195. "The name was carried to Iceland by the Scandinavians as Njáll, taken to Norway, then to France and brought to England by the Normans. It was also introduced direct into north-west England and Yorkshire by Norwegians from Ireland. " 2

Early Origins of the Nielde family

The surname Nielde was first found in Wiltshire where they held a family seat from ancient times as Lords of the manor of Grittleton, pre-Conquest called Grutelington (940 AD) and by the Domesday Book in 1086, the place name had changed to Gretelintone. 1 The parish of Grittleton included the Glastonbury Abbey, one of the richest churches in England at that time. At the time of the Conquest, the lands were held by Urso from the Bishop of Coutance, conjecturally the ancestor of this distinguished family.

Early History of the Nielde family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nielde research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1641, 1678, 1699, 1743, 1754, 1789, 1805, 1828, 1836, 1845, 1846, 1850, 1857, 1891, 1894, 1895, 1900, 1950 and 1952 are included under the topic Early Nielde History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nielde Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Neeld, Neald, Neild, Nield, Nields, Neelde, Nealde, Neilde, Nielde, Neele and many more.

Early Notables of the Nielde family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Daniel Neal (1678-1743), an English historian; Sir John Neeld (1805-1891), 1st Baronet, MP for Cricklade and Chippenham, gentlemen of the privy council, married Elizabeth Harriet in 1845; his son Sir Algernon William Neeld (1846-1900) was 2nd Baronet and Sheriff of Wiltshire...
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nielde Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Nielde family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Nielde name or one of its variants: George Neele who settled in Virginia in 1635; John Neald settled in Pennsylvania in 1683; Betty and Frank Neald settled with their child in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1820.



The Nielde Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Nomen extendere factis
Motto Translation: The name matches the deed


  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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