The name Nugent comes from only one place in France: Nogent-le-Retrou. Two sons of a Lord of Nogent le Retrou, called de Nugent, went to England with William of Normandy in 1066. The family later went to Ireland with Henry II in 1172. The name quickly became de Nugent, the Nugent. An expert said 90% of the Nugents in the world are from that one family.