Noftyle History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Noftyle is one of the many new names that came to England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Noftyle family lived in Guernsey. Their name, however, is a reference to the Bailiwick of Neufchatel-en-Dary, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Early Origins of the Noftyle family

The surname Noftyle was first found in Guernsey where they held a family seat from very early times and acquired the lands of Noftall. They were originally from Fief of Bully, held by Robert Mellevilla in the Bailiwick of Neufchatel-en-Dary in Normandy. In 1184 Engueran (Ingram) de Moncellis held Neufchatel according to the Norman Exchequer Rolls of 1184. They were conjecturally descended from Neufchatel. This family also held the lands of Nun Coton in Lincolnshire.

Early History of the Noftyle family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Noftyle research. Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Noftyle History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Noftyle Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. When the Normans became the ruling people of England in the 11th century, they introduced a new language into a society where the main languages of Old and later Middle English had no definite spelling rules. These languages were more often spoken than written, so they blended freely with one another. Contributing to this mixing of tongues was the fact that medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, ensuring that a person's name would appear differently in nearly every document in which it was recorded. The name has been spelled Noftall, Noftle, Naftel, Nofty, Noftal and many more.

Early Notables of the Noftyle family

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

Migration of the Noftyle family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that plagued their homeland made the frontiers of the New World an attractive prospect. Thousands migrated, aboard cramped disease-ridden ships. They arrived sick, poor, and hungry, but were welcomed in many cases with far greater opportunity than at home in England. Many of these hardy settlers went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Among early immigrants bearing the name Noftyle or a variant listed above were: Peter Nofty who settled in Broad Cove, Newfoundland, in 1783; Thomas Naftel, who arrived in Norfolk, VA in 1806; Daniel Naftel, who settled in Ohio in 1807.

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)