Surname Nesbyte - Meaning and Origin

Nesbyte: What does the surname Nesbyte mean?

The surname Nesbyte is of Swedish origin. It is derived from the Old Norse mellei-by, which means "Farm situated between rivers". The name was borne by early settlers to the area of Sweden and signifies one who was located in between the waters.

The Nesbyte family can trace their roots to the mid-1800s, when the name began to appear in records. The earliest known mention of the name Nesbyte was in the Svea court records of 1778, in which one Johan Henric Nesbyte was listed as having been born at Halden in 1777.

The Nesbyte family were peasant farmers, and the surname quite possibly came about as a result of the family's agrarian lifestyle. While the exact location of the Nesbyte farm is unknown, numerous Nesbytes have been documented as having resided in Uddevalla, a port town located in the region of Värmland, which is part of present-day Sweden.

The Nesbyte name is quite rare in Sweden, and it is believed to have been most commonly used by families living in and around Värmland between the 17th and 19th centuries. Today, the Nesbytes are spread throughout the world in many different countries, although the name is still not particularly widespread.

Nesbyte: Where does the name Nesbyte come from?

The last name Nesbyte is common in England, Scotland, and Wales. It is most highly concentrated in Buckinghamshire, but also appears in other counties throughout Britain. Nesbyte is most commonly found in the city of Manchester, but can be found in all major cities and rural areas throughout the country.

The presence of the name in Britain can be seen from the historic English land tax records from 1524 to 1660, when a number of Nesbyte families were recorded as living across England. This suggests the name is very old, tracing its origins into the Middle Ages. It is highly likely the name is derived from a topographic name, used to denote a person who lived near a peninsula or piece of land.

The name Nesbyte is, today, most heavily concentrated in the city of Manchester, especially in the North-West. A large number of Nesbytes are also found in the larger cities of Birmingham, London, Bristol, and Leeds, but the name can also be found scattered throughout Britain. The name is relatively rare outside the United Kingdom; there have been records of the name in Australia, but the presence is much more limited than in Britain.

Variations of the surname Nesbyte

Nesbyte is a surname of English origin, believed to have derived from a nickname which evolved from the Olde English pre-seventh century word “nes” or “neos” meaning “nos” or “new”. The other variations of this surname which share the same origin are Nesbitt, Nesbitts, Nisbett, Nisbets, Nesbit, and Nesbits.

Nesbyte is found in various records from the 1500s, including a court record of Henry Nesbite of North Luffenham in 1534, and a Thomas Nesbyte in New Castle in 1593.

In the Scottish records, the surnames Nesbitt and Nisbett are often used interchangeably. The records indicate the presence of the “Nesbyt” family in Aberdeenshire in the 1600s, and branches of the Nesbitt (Nesbyt) and Nisbet families in the early 1700s in Edinburgh.

The spelling of the Nesbyte surname sometimes appears as Nesby; and occasionally the Nesbyte surname can be seen with a double “t” as in the records of Thomas Nesbytt, living in Roxboroughshire in 1585.

In the United States, the variations of Nesbyte which are more commonly encountered are Nesbitt, Nesbit, and Nisbett. Nesbit families are recorded in Pennsylvania in the 1700s. Nesbitts are found in Ohio in the exact same time frame; and the Nisbetts appear in the records of Virginia, dating back to the late 1700s.

In short, the various spellings and surnames of the same origin which can be seen for the Nesbyte surname are Nesbit, Nesbitt, Nesbite, Nesbitts, Nisbett, Nisbets, Nesbys, and Nesbytt.

Famous people with the name Nesbyte

• Brian Nesbitt: Canadian actor best known for his roles on the television series The Tudors and White Collar
• Jennifer Nesbitt: Canadian professional mountain bike racer
• Joan Nesbitt: First appointed lady superintendent of the Royal Free Hospital School of Nursing in London
• Alfred Nesbit: British actor best known for roles in films such as Ben-Hur and The Charge of the Light Brigade
• J.K. Rowling: British novelist best known for writing the Harry Potter series under the penname of J.K. Rowling
• Augustus Edward Nesbit: British scholar and biologist
• Hal Nesbitt: American professional golf player and former PGA Tour commissioner
• Augus Nesbit: Canadian singer and guitarist, best known for his cover of George Strait's "I Cross My Heart"
• Robert Nesbitt: British-American actor best known for roles in films such as Dr. No and Oliver!
• Rodney Nesbitt: American comedian and actor best known for his roles on In Living Color and Drew Carey's Green Screen Show

Other surnames

NesbythNesbythe