Nowles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Nowles is of Anglo-Saxon origin and came from when the family lived in the area that was referred to as the knoll. This surname was originally derived from the Old English word cnolle which means one who lived at the top of the hill or the summit. 1 2 3

The name frequently found in its plural form (Knowles, Knolles, etc.) which "may be patronymic, as in Brooks, Styles, Holmes." 4

Early Origins of the Nowles family

The surname Nowles was first found in Devon where Robert de la Cnolle was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1185. Later in Kent, we found Theobald de Chnolle in 1242 and in Cambridgeshire, Thomas Knolle was recorded in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279. William atte Knolle was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; Adam del Knol was found in the Assize Rolls for Staffordshire in 1318; and Christopher Knolles was a Freeman of York in 1407. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls on 1273 also show Roger de la Cnolle, Devon; John Cnolle, Dorset; and Robert de la Cnolle, Sussex and the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include Cecilia de Knolle; Johannes Knoll; and Thomas de Knoll. 4

Early History of the Nowles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nowles research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1325, 1399, 1407, 1410, 1514, 1521, 1537, 1547, 1550, 1571, 1588, 1596, 1599, 1610, 1614, 1621, 1622, 1624, 1626, 1628, 1629, 1632, 1646, 1659, 1665, 1668, 1691 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Nowles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nowles Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Nowles are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. The variations of the name Nowles include: Knollys, Knoll, Knolle, Knolles, Knowles, Knowlys and others.

Early Notables of the Nowles family

Notables of the family at this time include

Hanserd Knollys (1599-1691) was an English divine from Cawkwell, Lincolnshire. Sir Robert Knollys (1588-1659), was an English politician, Member of Parliament for Abingdon in 1614, Member of Parliamen...

Migration of the Nowles family to Ireland

Some of the Nowles family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Nowles migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Nowles or a variant listed above:

Nowles Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Nowles, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 6

Nowles Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Thomas Nowles, who landed in Virginia in 1714 6

Nowles 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:

Nowles Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

T. Nowles, who arrived in Port Nicholson aboard the ship "Gertrude" in 1841 7
Mr. T.Nowles, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Gertrude" arriving in Wellington, New Zealand on 31st October 1841 8
Mr. Nowles, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Rangitiki" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 25th March 1875 9

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
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