This very unusual and interesting name is of English (Anglo - Saxon) topographical origin. Such surnames were often created in the Middle Ages when residence at or by topographical features such as conspicuous trees, woods, bridges, brooks, mills etc., were sufficient to identify individuals in the community. In this instance the feature described in the surname is an area of recently felled trees, leaving only the stumps, the name being derived from the Old English pre 7th Century "neowe" or "niwe", new, and English pre 7th Century "neowe" or "niwe", new, and "stubb(b)" tree stump. The surname is found, recorded in a variety of forms, from "Knewstub(b)" to "Newstup" and "Newstubbey". One "Edward Knewstub" married "Alice Herringe" on the 8th October 1626 at St. Bartholomew the Less, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Knewstubbe, christened. which was dated 26th June 1625, St. Vedast, Foster Lane, London. during the reign of King James 1 of England and V1 of Scotland, 1603 - 1625. 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.

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