Nottingham will always be famous for its sheriff and his pursuit of Robin Hood; the city also has an important history of lace-making, and has been notable for the bicycle and tobacco industries. It became a city in 1897 as part of Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations and today is the seventh largest in the United Kingdom.

In Anglo-Saxon times the area was part of the Kingdom of Mercia, and was known in the Brythonic language as Tigguo Cobauc, meaning ‘place of caves’. When it fell under the rule of a Saxon chieftain named Snot it became known as ‘Snotingaham’, the homestead of Snot’s people.

Nottingham Castle was constructed in the 11th century on a sandstone outcrop by the River Leen. The Anglo-Saxon settlement developed into the borough of Nottingham and housed a town hall and law courts. A settlement also developed around the castle on the hill opposite and was a French borough supporting the Normans in the castle. Eventually, the space between was built on as the town grew and the old market square became the focus of Nottingham several centuries later.

On the return of Richard the Lionheart from the Crusades, the castle was occupied by supporters of Prince John, including the Sheriff of Nottingham. It was besieged by Richard and, after a sharp conflict, was captured.

By the 15th century Nottingham had established itself as a centre of a thriving export trade in religious sculpture made from Nottingham alabaster. The town became a county corporate in 1449 giving it effective self-government; the castle and Shire Hall were expressly excluded and remained as detached parishes of Nottinghamshire.

During the Industrial Revolution, much of Nottingham’s prosperity was founded on the textile industry; in particular, the city became an internationally important centre of lace manufacture. In common with the wider UK textile industry, Nottingham’s clothing sector fell into decline in the decades following World War Two.

In 1831 citizens rioted in protest against the Duke of Newcastle’s opposition to the Reform Act 1832, setting fire to his residence, Nottingham Castle.

Census data from TheGenealogist.co.uk shows common occupations in the city in the 19th century included framework knitter, lacemaker, lace mender, lace drawer, dressmaker and shoemaker.

Nottingham was one of the boroughs reformed by the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, and at that time consisted of the parishes of St Mary, St Nicholas and St Peter. It was expanded in 1877 by adding the parishes of Basford, Brewhouse Yard, Bulwell, Radford, Sneinton, Standard Hill and parts of the parishes of West Bridgford, Carlton, Wilford (North Wilford).

Electric trams were introduced to the city in 1901; they served the city for 35 years until the trolleybus network was expanded in 1936. Nottingham is also home to the world’s oldest professional football club, Notts County, which was formed in 1862.

Exclusive census analysis from TheGenealogist.co.uk shows that common surnames in the city include Ward, Shaw, Clarke, Jackson, Harrison and Cooper; plus Walker, White, Green, Parker, James and Holmes in 1841 and Allen and Marshall in 1911.

Find details of Nottinghamshire Archives in Nottingham at nawcat.nottinghamshire.gov.uk.