Show ContentsNewlin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

There are several places named Newland in Britain including: a liberty in the parish of Hurst, Berkshire; a parish in Gloucestershire; a township in Lancashire; a parish in Worcestershire; and a hamlet in the East Rising of Yorkshire to list a few. Newlands is found in Cumberland, Derbyshire, Northumberland and Durham. 1

All have the same meaning: "new arable land," having derived from the Old English word "niwe," + land. The earliest seems to be found in Hertfordshire and Worcestershire which both date back to 1221. 2

Another source sums up the origin as someone "who dwelt on, or near, the newly cleared or newly acquired land; one who came from Newland, the name of various places in England." 3

Early Origins of the Newlin family

The surname Newlin was first found in Kent where Samson de la Niwelande was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1181. 4

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 has two listings of the family in Cambridgeshire: Roger de la Neuelonde and Richard le de Neulond. The same rolls includes entries for Thomas de la Neulaund, Essex and G. de Neuland, Lincolnshire. 5

Somerset records show William atte Niwelond, Somerset, 1 Edward III (during the first year of the reign on King Edward III.) 6

Up in Scotland, "There was an old barony of Newlands in the sheriffdom of Kincardine, and a parish of the name in Peeblesshire, from either of which the surname may have been derived. The name was common in Glasgow in the sixteenth century, and common in the parish of Dalswinton till recent times. Jasper Newlands of that Ilk in record, 1469. Duncan Newlandis bailie of the burgh of Linlithgow, 1493, Peter Newlandis, witness there in 1537 (Johnstoun), and Kentigem Newlandis, witness in 1542." 7

Early History of the Newlin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Newlin research. Another 130 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1469, 1481, 1483, 1515, 1573, 1597, 1640, 1648, 1670, 1675, 1688, 1702, 1706, 1726, 1730, 1743, 1748, 1782 and 1807 are included under the topic Early Newlin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Newlin Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Newlin include Newland, Newling, Newley, Nieland, Newlan and others.

Early Notables of the Newlin family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

  • Thomas Newlin (1688-1743), the English divine was son of William Newlin, rector of St. Swithin's, Winchester and was baptised there 29 Oct. 1688. From 1702 to 1706 he was a scholar of Winchester and w...

Newlin Ranking

In the United States, the name Newlin is the 7,883rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 8

Ireland Migration of the Newlin family to Ireland

Some of the Newlin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Newlin migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Newlin were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Newlin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nicholas Newlin, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1683 9
Newlin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John Newlin, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1850 9
  • W R Newlin, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 9

Canada Newlin migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Newlin Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Richard Newlin, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1778

Contemporary Notables of the name Newlin (post 1700) +

  • David Newlin Fell (1840-1919), American politician, Justice of Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, 1894-1910; Chief Justice of Pennsylvania State Supreme Court, 1910-15 10


The Newlin 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: Le Nom, les armes, la loyauté
Motto Translation: The Name, the arms, the loyalty.


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  3. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  4. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  7. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  8. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  9. 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)
  10. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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