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Rimmer History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Rimmer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Rimmer is Anglo-Saxon in origin. It was a name given to a poet, from the Old English words rime or ryme, in other words, one who was called the rhymer, poet, versifier, singer. "In South-west Lancashire Rimmer has ramified very strongly; but it was spelt Rymer in the 16th century." 1

Anciently they undoubtedly derived their name from the court Rhymer or Versificator, a practice that started with King Henry III of England.

Early Origins of the Rimmer family

The surname Rimmer was first found in Yorkshire where Warin Rymer was listed in 1229. A few years later, Richard le Rimour was found in Lancashire in 1277. 2 The Assize Rolls of Lancashire list Roger le Rymeur in 1246 and Thomas the Rymour [Thomas of Erceldoune], was the first Scottish poet. 3

In the 16th and 17th century, Cheshire became a stronghold for the family as the Wills at Chester included: Roger Rymer, of Walton, 1579; Peter Rymer, of North Meols, 1591; William Rymer, of Formby, 1614; John Rimmer, of Formby, 1615; and Gilbert Rimmer, of North Meols, 1617. 1

Early History of the Rimmer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rimmer research. Another 117 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1579, 1591, 1614, 1615 and 1617 are included under the topic Early Rimmer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rimmer Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Rimmer include Rimmer, Rimer, Remmer, Rhymer, Rymer and others.

Early Notables of the Rimmer family

More information is included under the topic Early Rimmer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rimmer Ranking

In the United States, the name Rimmer is the 6,787^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4 However, in the United Kingdom, the name Rimmer is ranked the 879^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,780 people with that name. 5

Rimmer migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Rimmer were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Rimmer Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Alice Rimmer, who arrived in Virginia in 1664 6

Rimmer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johan Stephan Rimmer, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1729 6

Rimmer migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rimmer Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

John Rimmer, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750

Rimmer Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Frederick Rimmer was a hatter in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1861 7

Rimmer migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Rimmer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. James Rimmer, British Convict who was convicted in Buckinghamshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Earl Spencer" in May 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Robert Rimmer, (b. 1767), aged 49, English servant who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth" in May 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1825 9
Mr. William Rimmer, (b. 1792), aged 24, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for life for larceny, transported aboard the "Atlas" on 16th January 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1818 10
Mr. Joseph Rimmer, English convict who was convicted in Liverpool, Merseyside, England for life, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 11

Rimmer migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Rimmer Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Thomas Rimmer, aged 23, a joiner, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arethusa" in 1879
Ellen Rimmer, aged 22, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arethusa" in 1879
William A. Rimmer, aged 2, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arethusa" in 1879
Annie Rimmer, aged 1, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Arethusa" in 1879

Contemporary Notables of the name Rimmer (post 1700) +

Robert Henry Rimmer, American author of several books, most notably "The Harrad Experiment"
Alfred Rimmer (1829-1893), English artist and author, son of Thomas Rimmer, timber merchant, born at Liverpool
John James "Jimmy" Rimmer (b. 1948), English former football goalkeeper
Shane Rimmer (1929-2019), born Shane Lance Deacon, a Canadian actor and screenwriter, born in Toronto, who appeared in over 160 films and television programs, best known for the voice of Scott Tracy in the original Thunderbirds series, Air Force Captain "Ace" Owens in Dr. Strangelove, Joe Donnelli and Malcolm Reid on Coronation Street
David Rimmer (1942-2023), Canadian experimental filmmaker and university instructor, awarded a Governor General's award for his lifetime achievements in the arts
Ms. Heather Elizabeth Rimmer M.B.E., British Commander for the Royal Navy, recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018 12
Mr. Bernard Rimmer M.B.E., British Estates Supervisor for Myerscough College, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the Agricultural community 12
John Thomas "Jack" Rimmer (1878-1962), British athlete, winner of two gold medals at the 1900 Summer Olympics
Eve Rimmer (1937-1996), New Zealand athlete

Historic Events for the Rimmer family +

Hillsborough disaster

David George Rimmer (1950-1989), English sales manager who was attending the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium, in Sheffield, Yorkshire when the stand allocated area became overcrowded and 96 people were crushed in what became known as the Hillsborough disaster and he died from his injuries 13
Carl William Rimmer (1968-1989), English video technician who was attending the FA Cup semi-final at Hillsborough Stadium, in Sheffield, Yorkshire when the stand allocated area became overcrowded and 96 people were crushed in what became known as the Hillsborough disaster and he died from his injuries 13

RMS Titanic

Mr. Gilbert Rimmer (d. 1912), aged 27, English Saloon Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 14

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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 8th September 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-spencer
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 1st March 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/elizabeth
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
Hillsborough Victims (retreived 21st March 2021). Retreived from https://metro.co.uk/2019/04/15/remembering-96-victims-hillsborough-disaster-30-years-9206566/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html