Nevill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancestors of the Nevill family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They lived in Durham. Their name, however, is a reference to Neuville, Sur Touques of Orne in the canton of Gacey, Normandy. "This family descended from Baldric Teutonicus, who with his brother Wiger came to Normandy c.900 to offer his service to the Duke. From him descend the families Neville, Courcy and others." 1
Early Origins of the Nevill family
The surname Nevill was first found in Durham where they claim descent from Gilbert de Nevil, the companion in arms of the William the Conqueror who many believe was the Duke's Admiral but there is no mention of him in the Domesday Book. 2
Another early record shows Ranulph de Nevill of Raby, Durham, being summoned to Parliament as a Baron on June 8, 1294. Ralph Neville (died 1244) served as Lord Chancellor of England, Bishop of Chichester and was Archbishop of Canterbury elect from 1231 to 1232.
Wargrave in Berkshire was home to another branch of the family. "The living is a vicarage, valued in the king's books at £13. 13. 6½., and in the gift of the lord of the manor and impropriator, Lord Braybrooke, to whose ancestor, Sir Henry Nevill, the Billingbear estates, and the hundred of Wargrave, anciently attached to the see of Winchester, were granted by Edward VI." 3
Another branch of the family was found at Dalton-Piercy in Durham. "In 1370, Henry, Lord Percy, sold this manor to Sir John Nevile, of Raby; and it remained with the descendants of that proprietor until the forfeiture by the family, since which time the lands have been divided." 3
"[Liversedge in the West Riding of Yorkshire] was anciently the property of the Neville family, lords of the manor, of whose mansion, Liversedge Hall, there are still some slight remains." 3
Early History of the Nevill family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Nevill research. Another 259 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1100, 1200, 1364, 1379, 1385, 1388, 1397, 1425, 1426, 1428, 1431, 1461, 1470, 1471, 1615, 1620, 1625, 1631, 1651, 1655, 1661, 1668, 1675, 1676, 1680, 1681, 1685, 1692, 1694, 1697, 1712, 1717 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Nevill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Nevill Spelling Variations
A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Neville, Navelle, Nevile, Nevil, Nevill and others.
Early Notables of the Nevill family
Outstanding amongst the family at this time was
- Richard Neville (1428-1471), who became the 16th Earl of Warwick, through his mother, a countess. He was known as the "Kingmaker" as he played a large role in putting Edward IV on the throne in 1461...
- His younger brother, John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu KG (1431-1471) was a major magnate of fifteenth-century England
- Sir Thomas Nevill, 1st Baronet (c. 1625-1712), of Holt in Leicestershire, held a Baronetage of England created on 25 May 1661; Sir Edward Nevill, 1st Baronet (c. 1651-1685) of Grove in Nottinghamshire...
- Sir Christopher Nevile (ca. 1631-1692), of Haddington, Aubourn, Lincolnshire, was an English Member of Parliament, High Sheriff of Lincolnshire for 1680-1681. Henry Neville (1620-1694) was an English...
- John Nevell, Neville, Nevill or Nevil, (died 1697), was an English Vice Admiral from St. Margaret's, Westminster, Middlesex who spent most of his career in the Americas living in Virginia. He died the...
Migration of the Nevill family to Ireland
Some of the Nevill family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 61 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Nevill migration to the United States +
Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Nevill or a variant listed above:
Nevill Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Mr. John Nevill, (Neville), (1612 - 1664), who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 4
- Richard Nevill (Nevitt), (1619 - 1674), who left England and arrived in Maryland in 1634 aboard the ship "Ark and Dove" 4
- Ann Nevill, who landed in Maryland in 1639 4
- Benjamin Nevill, who arrived in Maryland in 1665 4
- James Nevill, who arrived in New Jersey in 1675 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Nevill Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Isack Nevill, who arrived in Virginia in 1703 4
Nevill Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John Nevill, who arrived in Charleston, South Carolina in 1813 4
Nevill migration to Canada +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Nevill Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Johanna Nevill, aged 23, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Matilda" from Cork, Ireland
- Thomas Nevill, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1841
Nevill migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Nevill Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Samuel Nevill a bricklayer, who arrived in Kangaroo Island aboard the ship "John Pirie" in 1836 5
- Susannah Nevill, who arrived in Holdfast Bay, Australia aboard the ship "Katherine Stewart Forbes" in 1837 6
- Barnard Nevill, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Florentia" in 1849 7
- James Nevill, aged 20, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Confiance" 8
Nevill 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:
Nevill Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Mr. James Nevill, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 9
- Mrs. Margaret Nevill, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 9
Contemporary Notables of the name Nevill (post 1700) +
- Ms. Mary Elizabeth Nevill O.B.E. (b. 1961), born in Gawsworth, Cheshire, England, English former Field Hockey player and currently Professor and Head of Sports Science for School of Science and Technology at Nottingham Trent University, she captained the Great Britain squad in the 1992 Olympic Games, was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to Sport and to Sports Science 10
- Bernard Nevill FRSA, FCSD (1934-2019), British designer and academic, formerly a professor at Saint Martin's School of Art and Design Director for Liberty of London
- Edward Nevill (1902-2001), sometime Professor of Histology at Cambridge University in England
- Sir Arthur de Terrotte Nevill KBE, CB (1899-1985), Air Vice-Marshal, a famous New Zealand military aviator
- James Francis "Jim" Nevill (1927-2007), the British head of the Scotland Yard Bomb Squad
- Ted Nevill, British author, specialist in military history and has contributed to many books on military history
- Cosmo Nevill (b. 1907), British Major General
- Edward Nevill Willmer (1902-2001), sometime Professor of Histology at Cambridge University in England
- Nevill Drury (1947-2013), English-born, Australian editor and publisher
- Nevill Lovelace (1708-1736), 6th Baron Lovelace
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)
- Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- 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 Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) John Pirie 1836. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1836JohnPirie.htm
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) KATHERINE STEWART FORBES 1837 arrived Holdfast Bay, near Adelaide, on October 17, 1837. . Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1837KatherineStewartForbes.htm
- State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FLORENTIA 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Florentia.htm
- South Australian Register Tuesday 30th November 1858. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Confiance 1858. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/confiance1858.shtml
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists