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Norfolk History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Citations

Norfolk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The Norfolk surname comes from the name of the county of Norfolk, which is derived Old English words "norð," meaning "north," and "folc," meaning "people."

Early Origins of the Norfolk family

The surname Norfolk was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the year 1154 when William of Norfolk held estates.

Early History of the Norfolk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Norfolk research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273, 1379, 1455, 1487 and 1680 are included under the topic Early Norfolk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Norfolk Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Norfolk, Northfolk, Norfoke and others.

Early Notables of the Norfolk family

Distinguished members of the family include

Sir James Norfolk (died 1680), Serjeant-at-Arms to the Speaker of the House of Commons of England during the reign of Charles II, owner of Colchester Castle, Essex

Norfolk migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Norfolk Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Norfolk, who arrived in Maryland in 1668 1

Norfolk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Diana Norfolk, who landed in Virginia in 1701 1

Norfolk Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Albert J. Norfolk, aged 28, who settled in America from England, in 1903
Albert James Norfolk, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from Colchester, England, in 1904
Arthur Norfolk, aged 24, who immigrated to America from Thorpe, England, in 1904
Cyril C. Norfolk, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from London, England, in 1910
Charles Norfolk, who landed in America from Southampton, in 1919
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Norfolk migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Norfolk Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

David Norfolk, English convict from Suffolk, who was transported aboard the "Anna Maria" on March 6, 1848, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia 2

Norfolk migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Norfolk Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. William Norfolk, (b. 1837), aged 18, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Grasmere" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 4th May 1855 3
Miss Mary Ann Norfolk, (b. 1834), aged 22, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd July 1856 4
Miss Sarah Norfolk, (b. 1836), aged 20, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Sir Edward Paget" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 2nd July 1856 4
Miss Ann Norfolk, (b. 1842), aged 17, English domestic servant from Suffolk travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 4
Mr. Henry Norfolk, (b. 1846), aged 13, English labourer from Suffolk travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 14th November 1859 4
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Norfolk (post 1700) +

Margaret Norfolk, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Bladensburg, Maryland, 1863-67 5
Peter Robert Norfolk OBE (b. 1960), British wheelchair tennis player, nicknamed The Quadfather
Helen Norfolk (b. 1981), New Zealand swimming competitor

Citations +

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)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2015, January 8) Anna Maria voyage to Van Diemen's Land or Port Phillip, Australia in 1848 with 190 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/anna-maria/1848
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html