Note: "The Surname de Noblette has emerged from Norman origins antecedent to the middle ages, the family name has been traced to two brothers, Jacques de Noblette of Chaisneys de Tersillac at Falaise who was destined to be knighted in 1067 by William, Duke of Normandy, (William the Conqueror), and his brother, Philbert de Noblet who was granted lands in England near Durham by William."
The roots of the Noblett family name can be traced back nearly a thousand years, to two brothers from the small town of Falaise, Normandy, France.
Jacques and Philbert were not born with the name “Noblett.” Surnames were not in use at the time of their birth, in the 1030’s. They may have simply been called Jacques and Philbert de Falaise, or, in English, Jack and Phil of Falaise. Men were identified by their residence.
At that time Falaise was also the home of a man who was to become a very famous resident, an illegitimate prince known progressively as William the Bastard, William, Duke of Normandy, William the Conqueror, and William I, King of England.
We do not know if Jacques and Philbert knew William before 1066. But they certainly supported him that year when William invaded England and conquered it.
William rewarded his supporters. He gave vast tracts of land to both Jacques and Philbert.
Jacques was given land eventually totaling more than 6,000 acres near his hometown of Falaise. This estate, or chateau, was to be known as Chaisneys de Tersillac. William knighted Jacques in 1067.
Philbert was granted lands in England near Durham.
In or about 1068 William required all his subjects in England and Normandy to take surnames. Both Jacques and Philbert “chose” the surname “de Noblette.” “de Noblette” has at least two meanings: 1, physically small noblemen, or 2, noblemen in the lower ranks of nobility. We don’t know if these two brothers actually chose the name or if William chose it for them; he might have had something to do with it when he knighted, -- or promoted, -- Jacques.
From that point the family split into two groups, the English branch and the Normandy branch. (I am reluctant to call the “Normandy” branch the “French” branch: “Normandy” was named after the Norsemen, or Vikings, who conquered vast sections of the territory within the previous 200 years. While there is no evidence that Jacques and Philbert were descended from Vikings, William most certainly was. As Jacques and Philbert had some status at Falaise, there is at least an indication that they were.
(Please note the conjectures and/or implications of the last two paragraphs. We do not know if William had anything to do with the “de Noblette” surname. We do not know if the two brothers were descended from Viking invaders. There is no documentation to support these two deductions.)
Brinkley Family 
Individuals - Brinkley Family
Search
Birth
Marriage
Death
Last Change
