Norval History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The surname Norval was originally a habitation name, that is, a surname derived from a place-name. The Norval family took the name of a town of Normanville in the French province of Normandy, prior to emigration to Britain.

"This surname is derived from a geographical locality. 'of Normanville,' a name exactly corresponding to English Normanby and Normanton. Lower says, The Itinerary de la Normandie shows two places so called, one near Yvetot, and the other in the arrondissement of Evreux'" 1

Early Origins of the Norval family

The surname Norval was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, where they held a family seat being descended from John of Normanville in Yvetot in Normandy.

Conjecturally, this John was granted lands by King David of Scotland while he was Earl of Huntingdon in England. "John de Normanville witnessed a grant by Bernerd de Hauden to the Hospital of Soltre between 1190-1230, and between 1221-1231 he witnessed the grant of the church of Lympetlaw to the same house. He also gave part of Maxtone to Melrose Abbey. Hugh de Normanville and Alicia, his wife, exchanged some land with the monks of Melrose in the reign of William the Lion, and in 1200 he made a similar exchange with the monks of Dryburgh. Dominus Thomas de Normaniuill and dominus Johannes de Normaniuill witnessed quit claim to the lands of Eduluestun to the church of Glasgow, 1233. Sir Walran of Normanville had a grant in 1242 of the lands of Correncrare, Tulichule, and others. Several Normanvilles in the reign of Alexander II, younger sons, filled the office of secular rectors of cherches. Wydo (Guldo) de Norinanuilla was charter witness, 1250, William de Normanville was rector of the church of Mackistun, c. 1250, Sir Waleran de Normanville was buried at Melrose, 1256, and Thomas de Normanville presided at an inquest on the lands of Hopkelchoc, 1259. Alexander de Normanville witnessed a charter by James the Seneschal of Scotland, 1294, and Walranus de Normanuilla, miles, was charter witness at Arnbroath, 1299 (RAA., I, p. 165). Robert de Normanville of Stirlingshire rendered homage, 1296." 2

Early History of the Norval family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Norval research. Another 118 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1200, 1242 and 1605 are included under the topic Early Norval History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Norval Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Normanville, Normanmile, Normanvill, Normansvill, Normanswell, Normansell, Norvell, Norval, Norvall, Norvill, Norville, Norvel, Norvell, Norvyle, Norwald, Norwell, Norvaile and many more.

Early Notables of the Norval family

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

Norval migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Norval Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Agnes Norval, aged 65, who settled in America, in 1894

Norval Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

J.W. Norval, aged 60, who immigrated to the United States, in 1908
Alexr. Norval, aged 8, who immigrated to the United States, in 1909
Peter Norval, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States from Gartnaval, Scotland, in 1910
Robina C. Norval, aged 29, who landed in America from Scotland, in 1912
William Norval, aged 41, who immigrated to America from Liverpool, in 1919
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Norval migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Norval Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century

Jos. Woods Norval, aged 62, who settled in Toronto, Canada, in 1909

Contemporary Notables of the name Norval (post 1700) +

Theophilus Lincoln Norval (b. 1847), American Republican politician, Member of Nebraska State Senate, 1878; District Judge in Nebraska, 1883-89; Justice of Nebraska State Supreme Court, 1890-1902; Chief Justice of Nebraska State Supreme Court, 1894-95, 1900-02 3
Richard Sampson Norval, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Nebraska, 1888; Delegate to Nebraska State Constitutional Convention, 1919-20 3
Aletta Norval, South-African born political theorist
Andy Norval (1912-1999), Australian rugby league player
Pieter "Piet" Norval (b. 1970), South African former tennis player
Norval W. Woodworth, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1961 (acting, 1961) 4
Norval Baptie (1879-1966), Canadian World record holding speed skater, a champion figure skater, inductee into the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame (1963)
Norval Sinclair Marley (1895-1955), captain in the British Royal Marines
Norval Hipwell, Canadian marine industrialist
Norval Morris (1923-2004), New Zealand-born, American criminologist and lawyer, dean of University of Chicago Law School from 1975-1979

The Norval 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: Spem renovant alae
Motto Translation: Its wings renew its hope.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, April 1) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 2) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html