Gambill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Gambill family arrived in England following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Gambill came from the given name Gamel, which was common among the Danes and the Normans. The name Gambill was ultimately derived from the Old Norman word Gamall, which means old.

Another source notes: "this surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Gamel,' a once popular but now forgotten North-English personal name. It is compounded with many local names. The modern accepted surname form is Gamble and Gambles." 1

Early Origins of the Gambill family

The surname Gambill was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Gamel is listed. 2 Later in Yorkshire, Gamel Auceps was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1158 and later again, Simon Gamel was found in the Assize Rolls for Lincolnshire in 1202. Back in Yorkshire, Adam Gamel was listed in the Assize Rolls of 1260. Jordan Gambel was also listed in 1297. 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 mentions Huttred filius Gamelli in Northumberland and Alan filius Gamel in Shropshire. Much later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 include: Elena Gamyll; Henricus Gamyll; Johannes Gamyll; and Johannes Gamolson as all holding lands there at that time. 1

"Fitz Gamell is also found. From the Anglo-Saxon gamol or gamel, old, aged. It is compounded with some Domesday names, as Gamel-bar, ' old bear' - Gamel-carle, 'old male,' - both in Yorkshire." 4

Early History of the Gambill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gambill research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1158, 1297, 1450, 1618, 1629, 1640, 1659, 1663, 1666, 1670, 1687, 1865 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Gambill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gambill Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Gambill are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Gambill include Gamble, Gambel, Gambol and others.

Early Notables of the Gambill family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Gamble (died 1687), composer and musician in the court of King Charles I of England and King Charles II of...
Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gambill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gambill Ranking

In the United States, the name Gambill is the 8,200^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Gambill family to Ireland

Some of the Gambill family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 243 words (17 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gambill migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Gambill, or a variant listed above:

Gambill Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

John Milton Gambill, aged 31, who settled in America, in 1905
Louisa Gambill, aged 23, who landed in America, in 1906

Contemporary Notables of the name Gambill (post 1700) +

Robert Gambill (b. 1962), American professional football player
Shauna Gambill, American beauty queen
Randy Gambill, American film and television actor
Jan-Michael Charles Gambill (b. 1977), American tennis player
William G. Gambill, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Colorado State Senate, 1950 6
Walter R. Gambill, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Virginia, 1960, 1964 (alternate) 6
S. Gambill, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Wright County Democratic Party, 1921 6
Lawson Gambill, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Alabama, 1948 6
Bionca D. Gambill, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Indiana, 2008 6

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html