Noles Last Name: Meaning and Heraldic Roots

The same name, two spellings: Noles and Knowles. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Dweller by a knoll”.

Noles coat of arms

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Knowles surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

Noles and Knowles

Noles is listed among the recognised spellings of Knowles. Local scribes, dialects and emigration all left their mark on how the name was written. The same family of names includes Knoles.

Noles ranked 10,125 in the 2010 US Census, with 3,183 people answering to the name. That puts it among the top 25,000 US surnames. For the full story, order the Noles surname pack.