A Companion in arms to William the Conqueror, and by some genealogists, Admiral of the fleet of William the Conqueror, remained in England with William, who in 1166 held five knights fees of the bishop of Lincoln and four of the honour of Manasser Arsic. Between 1150 and 1160 he granted Kirstead Abbey lands and the goodwill of his son and heir apparent, the son being named Geoffrey. He founded an abbey with his brother, Alan and gave land to other churches. He was dead in 1169.
On the spelling of the surname Neville: The Abergavenny branch reject the final "e", while the Braybroooke branch retain it. For the sake of further distinction, the Grove, Chevet, Holbeck, Skelbrooke and Willingore baranchs omit one "L". In the old manuscripts, from "De Nova Villa", we get Neuville, Nevylle, Nevyll, Nevyl, Nevill and Nevil while the Latimers are frequently styled Nevell, but the prevailing form is Nevyll or Nevill.
Richard de Nova Villa was a cousin of the Conqueror on his maternal side and he left four sons; Gilbert, Robert, Richard and Ralph. From Gilbert de Nevill descends the houses of Westmoreland, Warwick, Latimer and Abergavenny. Gilbert de Nevill is claimed by some to have been the Admiral of the of the Conqueror's fleet, an uncle of Gilbert, Foulk d'Anou furnished 40 ships for the fleet.
The Norman family of Nevill came from Teutonic stock. Baldric Teutonicus was Lord of Bacqueville en Caux under Duke William. He married a niece of Gilbert Compte de Brionne, a grandson of duke Richard I who was regent of Normandy in 1040. The fourth son of Baldric Teutonicus was called Richard de Nova Villa, or de Neuville from his fife in Neuville sur Tocque in the department of the Orne, arrondissement of Argenton, and the canton of Grace. His sister, Hawisia, married Robertr Fitz Erneis who was slain at Hastings on October 14, 1066.