This is an English surname of ancient pre 7th century origins. It is residential and derives from either a parish in the county of Nottinghamshire variously recorded in the twin spellings of Nuthall and Nuttall or from Nuttall in Lancashire. The place names and hence the surname, derives from the Olde English words "hnutu", meaning nut and "healh", a secluded place, giving the the meaning of a dweller at the nut grove or similar. It is also possible that the name refers to a rounded shape in the landscape similar to a nut, in which case the name could describe somebody who lived on a round hill. The place name is first recorded at "Nutehale" in the famous Domesday Book of the year 1086, along with similar places such as Nutfield and Nutford. The earliest examples of the surname recording include Stephen de Notehale of London in 1269, John Notehale of Colchester in 1354, and Puter Nutill of Yorkshire, in the year 1375. A famous nameholder was General Thomas Nuttall (1828 - 1890), who distinguished himself at the battle of Kandahar during the Afghan Expedition of 1880. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Nuttehal, which was dated 1202, in the Pipe Rolls, of Nottinghamshire, during the reign of King John, known as "Lackland" 1199 - 1216.

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