Nutkins Family History

The variant of the now extinct surname Nutkin features a post-medieval excrescent -s. Its origin can be traced back to a Middle English male or female personal name Nutekin or Notekin, which was probably introduced to England from Flanders or Picardy after the Norman Conquest.

This surname corresponds to the Middle Dutch variants *Noutekin and Noidekin, both of which are diminutives of the Middle Dutch name Nout. Nout itself is a pet form of the Middle Dutch male name Arnout, which has roots in Continental Germanic as Arnwald (see Arnold).

Additionally, Nout is presumably related to its female equivalent, which is documented in the Latinized forms Arnolda from Paris in the 9th century and Ernaud(i)a from Arras in the 13th century.

This historical context shows the evolution and geographic influences on the surname, revealing its connections to broader naming trends across Europe.

Comparatively, one can look at names such as Nutland to further understand the linguistic and social developments surrounding such surnames.