Nesbitt Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Nesbitt Family History

Nesbitt Family History

The family history of the ancient name Nesbitt was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name Nesbitt include Nisbet, Nisbett, Nesbit, Nesbet and Nesbett. This is a locational name from the old Barony of Nesbit in the Parish of Edrom, Berwickshire. This name is usually of Scottish descent spreading to the countries of Ireland, England, and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout the above islands. Examples of such are a William de Nesbite who witnessed a confirmation of the town lands of Nesbite to the Priory of Coldingham by Patrick, first Earl of Dunbar. Dominus Robert de Nesbit, witnessed a charter by William de Horuirden to the Abbey of Kelso, in the year 1160. In the year 1255 Walter de Nesebyte resigned his rights in the manor of Nesebyte. Robert de Nesbit was one of the hostages for Berwickshire in the year 1340. Part of the family migrated to Sweden in the sixteenth century and today there are many descendants existing in that country.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

The Nesbitt family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Nesbitt descendants.