Neffile History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The history of the Neffile family name begins 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 Neffile family

The surname Neffile 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 Neffile family

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

Neffile Spelling Variations

Anglo-Norman names tend to be marked by an enormous number of spelling variations. This is largely due to the fact that Old and Middle English lacked any spelling rules when Norman French was introduced in the 11th century. The languages of the English courts at that time were French and Latin. These various languages mixed quite freely in the evolving social milieu. The final element of this mix is that medieval scribes spelled words according to their sounds rather than any definite rules, so a name was often spelled in as many different ways as the number of documents it appeared in. The name was spelled Neville, Navelle, Nevile, Nevil, Nevill and others.

Early Notables of the Neffile 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, deposing him in 1470, and then restoring Henry VI. 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...
Another 127 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Neffile Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Neffile family to Ireland

Some of the Neffile 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.

Migration of the Neffile family

Because of the political and religious discontent in England, families began to migrate abroad in enormous numbers. Faced with persecution and starvation at home, the open frontiers and generally less oppressive social environment of the New World seemed tantalizing indeed to many English people. The trip was difficult, and not all made it unscathed, but many of those who did get to Canada and the United States made important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers with Neffile name or one of its variants: Edmund Nevell who settled in Maine in 1625; Nicholas Nevell settled in Barbados in 1635; Richard Nevil settled in Virginia in 1650; Michael Nevil settled in Boston in 1762.

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.