Origin of Newbold

This interesting name, with variant spellings Newbald, Newbolt, Newbould and Newball, is either topographical for someone who lived in a newly constructed building or locational from any of the various places thus called, for example, Newbold in Derbyshire, Lancashire, Northampton, Nottinghamshire, Warwickshire etc. The name, in all cases, derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century "neowe" meaning "new", plus "bold", a dwelling house or homestead. The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 12th Century (see below).

One John de Neubald, who appears in the 1219 Assize Court Rolls of Yorkshire most likely hailed from Newbald in the East Riding of that county. Other early recordings include William de Newbold, witness, the 1299 Fine Court Rolls of Warwickshire, and Roger Neubolt, the Calendar of Letter Books for London, dated 1350. On January 5th 1577, Steven, son of Philip Newbold, was christened at the Church of St. Leonard's Eastcheap, London, and Rachell, daughter of George Newbold, was christened at the Church of St. Mary Woolnoth, London, on November 21st 1585. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert de (of) Newbolt which was dated 1175, in the "Pipe Rolls of Warwickshire", during the reign of King Henry 11, known as "The Builder of Churches", 1154 - 1189. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.