The Noles name has descended through the generations from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name comes from having lived in the area that was referred to as the knoll. This surname was originally derived from the Old English word cnolle which means one who lived at the top of the hill or the summit. [1]
The surname Noles was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Noles research. Another 103 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1325, 1407, 1514, 1596, 1521, 1399, 1410, 1547, 1632, 1599, 1691, 1588, 1659, 1614, 1621, 1622, 1624, 1626, 1628, 1629, 1599, 1691, 1646, 1668, 1665, 1537, 1550, 1610, 1571 and are included under the topic Early Noles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Noles has undergone many spelling variations, including Knollys, Knoll, Knolle, Knolles, Knowles, Knowlys and others.
Notables of the family at this time include Sir Robert Knolles (c. 1325-1407), an important English knight of the Hundred Years' War, operating with the tacit support of the Crown, succeeded in taking the only two major French cities, other than Calais and Poitiers, to fall to Edward III, methods earned him infamy as a freebooter and a ravager, the ruined gables of burned buildings came to be known as "Knolly's mitres"
Sir Francis Knollys (1514-1596) was an English statesman, elder son of Robert Knollys (d. 1521.) He claims descent from Sir Thomas Knollys, Lord Mayor of London in 1399 and 1410...
Another 133 words (10 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Noles Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
In the United States, the name Noles is the 8,625th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [2]
Some of the Noles family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 70 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Noles were among those contributors: