NOYCE
The surname Noyce is predominantly of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Old French word nois, meaning nut. It is generally believed that the name was originally a nickname for a person who worked with nuts, lived near a walnut tree, or had some personal association with nuts. Over the centuries the spelling evolved from nois to the modern form Noyce.
In early medieval England the surname appears also as a patronymic derived from the personal name Noy, itself a vernacular form of the ancient Hebrew name Noah, which translates as long-lived. Historical records support this lineage: a Noe is recorded in the Staffordshire Chartulary in 1125, and a Thomas filius Noe is mentioned in 1185 in the Records of the Knights Templars. The Suffolk Subsidy Rolls of 1327 provide the earliest known spelling of the family name as Simon Noysse.
It is thought that the surname may have been adopted by those who portrayed the biblical figure of Noah in medieval miracle plays, rather than being a direct inheritance from the given name. This association with the popular religious drama could explain the use of the name as a nickname.
A notable instance of the name in the 17th century is the marriage of Robert Noyce to Sarah White on 17 May 1692 at Winterslow, Wiltshire. The coat of arms most commonly associated with the Noyce name depicts three red carnations stalked with green leaves set upon a silver shield, symbolising purity and firmness.
The earliest documented spelling of the surname in the contemporary records is that of William Noysse, dated 1327 in the “Subsidy Rolls of Suffolk.”This entry falls within the reign of King Edward III (1327–1377), known in British history as “The Father of the Navy.”
Typical given names associated with the Noyce surname
Male
- Andrew
- Ashley
- Brian
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Kevin
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Tom
Female
- Alison
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Gemma
- Jennifer
- Joanne
- Margaret
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Sharon
- Sheila
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Noyce in...
Braille
⠝⠕⠽⠉⠑
Morse
-.----.---.-..
Semaphore
There are approximately 1,294 people named Noyce in the UK. That makes it roughly the 6,038th most common surname in Britain. Around 20 in a million people in Britain are named Noyce.
Famous people named Noyce
- Wilfrid Noyce - Mountain climber (1917 to 1962)
- Mark Noyce - Martial artist
- Jonathan Noyce - Musician
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.