Neeld History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The ancestors of the Neeld family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They 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 Neeld family

The surname Neeld 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 Neeld family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Neeld 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 Neeld History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Neeld Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years the English language had no fixed system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations occurred commonly in Anglo Norman surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Neeld were recorded, including Neeld, Neald, Neild, Nield, Nields, Neelde, Nealde, Neilde, Nielde, Neele and many more.

Early Notables of the Neeld 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

Neeld migration to the United States +

The unstable environment in England at this time caused numerous families to board ships and leave in search of opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad in places like Ireland, Australia, and particularly the New World. The voyage was extremely difficult, however, and only taken at great expense. The cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels caused many to arrive diseased and starving, not to mention destitute from the enormous cost. Still opportunity in the emerging nations of Canada and the United States was far greater than at home and many went on to make important contributions to the cultures of their adopted countries. An examination of many early immigration records reveals that people bearing the name Neeld arrived in North America very early:

Neeld Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Cissie Neeld, aged 24, who landed in America, in 1895

Neeld Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emma Leonore Neeld, aged 51, who immigrated to America, in 1907
Frank Lawrence Neeld, aged 55, who landed in America, in 1907
Lawrence Bradfd. Neeld, aged 25, who immigrated to the United States, in 1907
Beartix Neeld, aged 43, who immigrated to the United States from Malmesbury, England, in 1910

Contemporary Notables of the name Neeld (post 1700) +

Robert M. Neeld, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Florida 14th District, 2004 3
Mark "Neeldy" Neeld (b. 1971), former Australian rules footballer
Sir Audley Dallas Neeld (1849-1941), 3rd Baronet, British peer
Sir Algernon William Neeld (1846-1900), 2nd Baronet, British peer
Sir John Neeld (1805-1891), 1st Baronet, British politician, Member of Parliament for Cricklade (1835-1859), Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to Queen Victoria
Greg Neeld (b. 1955), Canadian retired ice hockey defenceman
Joseph Neeld (1789-1856), British Member of Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1856

The Neeld 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

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)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html