Nies History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Nies is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is a product of when the family lived near a river. Nies is a local surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. There are a variety of types of local surnames, some of which include: topographic surnames, which could be given to a person who lived beside any physical feature, such as a hill, stream, church or type of tree. Habitation names form the other broad category of surnames that were derived from place-names. They were derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Other local names are derived from the names of houses, manors, estates, regions, and entire counties. This surname comes from the Old English phrase, atten (e)ye, which means "at the island." 1 This surname was first found in England in the county of Essex.

Early Origins of the Nies family

The surname Nies was first found in Essex, where they were established early in the medieval period. 2

Kirby's Quest listed Thoma atte Nye, Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign of King Edward III.) 3

Early History of the Nies family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nies research. Another 56 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1207, 1269, 1276, 1315, 1648 and 1719 are included under the topic Early Nies History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nies Spelling Variations

The first dictionaries that appeared in the last few hundred years did much to standardize the English language. Before that time, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. The language was changing, incorporating pieces of other languages, and the spelling of names changed with it. Nies has been spelled many different ways, including Nye, Nie, Nay, Ney and others.

Early Notables of the Nies family

Another 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Nies Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nies Ranking

In the United States, the name Nies is the 10,725^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Nies migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families in this era began to emigrate the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. Although the passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe, those who made the voyage safely were rewarded with opportunities unavailable to them in their homeland. Research into passenger and immigration lists has revealed some of the very first Niess to arrive in North America:

Nies Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Hendrick Nies, who arrived in New York in 1715 5

Nies Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Joseph Nies, aged 24, who landed in New York, NY in 1848 5
Henry Nies, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1850 5
John Nies, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1855 5
Gottfr Nies, who landed in America in 1866 5

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)