Neel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name Neel was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Neel family lived in Berkshire where Willelmus filius Nigelli was listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 1 While this may seem like a stretch form the modern day spellings of the name, we must remember that name entries at this time were in Latin. In fact later, another Willelmus Nigelli was listed in Wiltshire according to the Feet of Fines for 1195. "The name was carried to Iceland by the Scandinavians as Njáll, taken to Norway, then to France and brought to England by the Normans. It was also introduced direct into north-west England and Yorkshire by Norwegians from Ireland. " 2
Early Origins of the Neel family
The surname Neel was first found in Wiltshire where they held a family seat from ancient times as Lords of the manor of Grittleton, pre-Conquest called Grutelington (940 AD) and by the Domesday Book in 1086, the place name had changed to Gretelintone. 1 The parish of Grittleton included the Glastonbury Abbey, one of the richest churches in England at that time. At the time of the Conquest, the lands were held by Urso from the Bishop of Coutance, conjecturally the ancestor of this distinguished family.
Early History of the Neel family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Neel research. Another 187 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1485, 1641, 1678, 1699, 1743, 1754, 1789, 1805, 1828, 1836, 1845, 1846, 1850, 1857, 1891, 1894, 1895, 1900, 1950 and 1952 are included under the topic Early Neel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Neel Spelling Variations
Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Neeld, Neald, Neild, Nield, Nields, Neelde, Nealde, Neilde, Nielde, Neele and many more.
Early Notables of the Neel family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- Sir John Neeld (1805-1891), 1st Baronet, MP for Cricklade and Chippenham, gentlemen of the privy council, married Elizabeth Harriet in 1845
- his son Sir Algernon William Neeld (1846-1900) was 2nd Baronet and Sheriff of Wiltshire (1894 to 1895)
- Reginald Rundell Neeld (b. 1850) a British rear-admiral
Neel Ranking
In the United States, the name Neel is the 4,262nd most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Neel is ranked the 3,173rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,000 - 2,500 people with that name. 4
Neel migration to the United States +
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Neel or a variant listed above:
Neel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Reynold Neel, who arrived in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1802 5
- Hugh Neel, aged 38, who arrived in New York in 1812 5
- Michael Neel, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1848 5
- Henry Neel, who landed in Washington County, Pennsylvania in 1886 5
- Bridget Neel, aged 19, who settled in America, in 1895
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Neel Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- Bessie Neel, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States, in 1903
- Percy Neel, aged 30, who landed in America, in 1906
- Walter G. Neel, aged 52, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
- Daniel Neel, aged 26, who landed in America from Castlecomer, Ireland, in 1907
- Doris J. Neel, aged 17, who immigrated to America, in 1907
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Neel migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Neel Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
- Frederic Neel, aged 45, who settled in Toronto, Canada, in 1919
- Louise Neel, aged 37, who settled in Toronto, Canada, in 1919
Contemporary Notables of the name Neel (post 1700) +
- Alice Neel (1900-1984), American painter and printmaker
- Thomas Neel, American politician, Member of Maryland State House of Delegates from Montgomery County, 1847 6
- Thomas Neel, American Democratic Party politician, Postmaster at Tarentum, Pennsylvania, 1832-41 6
- Roy Neel, American Democratic Party politician, Member, Rules Committee, Democratic National Convention, 2008 6
- Richard Neel, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Virginia, 2008 6
- Leon Lawson Neel, American politician, Member of Georgia State House of Representatives from Thomas County, 1947-48 6
- Fred A. Neel, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives from Randolph County, 1941-48 6
- Anne Frances Neel, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Missouri State House of Representatives from Randolph County, 1949-52 6
- A. C. Neel, American politician, Mayor of El Dorado, Arkansas, 1950-56 6
- Dr. Louis Boyd Neel (1905-1981), English conductor
- ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
The Neel 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: Nomen extendere factis
Motto Translation: The name matches the deed
Suggested Readings for the name Neel +
- The Ancestors of Gregg Livingstone Neel by Gregg Livingstone Neel.
Citations +
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
- "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
- http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
- 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)
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html