Rymer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

Rymer is an Anglo-Saxon name. The name was originally given to a person who had the gift of poetry as in "the ryhmer, poet versifier, singer" 1 and as such came from a variety of places throughout the United Kingdom.

Probably the most famous of the name in early records was Thomas of Erceldoune, sometimes styled Thomas Learmonth (fl. c. 1220-1298), a Scottish laird in Berwickshire and reputed prophet who was known by the sobriquets Thomas the Rhymer or True Thomas. 2

According to tradition, Thomas the Rhymer, was carried off by the "Queen of Elfland" and returned having gained the gift of prophecy, as well as the inability to tell a lie. The story appears in at least five manuscripts and as the protagonist in the popular ballad "Thomas the Rhymer."

The name denoted "doubtless a person skilled in making verses, like the far-famed Scotchman, Thomas the Rhymer. King Henry II. kept a court poet, or poet-laureate, called Master Henry the Versifier, and paid him one hundred shillings per annum for his poesy. Still earlier, Henry I. had a bard who wrote laudatory verses about his master, and was called Walo Versificator." 3

Early Origins of the Rymer family

The surname Rymer was first found in Suffolk and Berwick, Scotland. Early rolls list Warin Rymer in Yorkshire in 1229; and Richard le Rimour in Lancashire in 1277. 4

"The Rymers of Chepstow and its vicinity are probably connected with a family of clothiers, called Rimer, who lived in Minchin Hampton early last century." 5

Early History of the Rymer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rymer research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1641, 1643, 1663 and 1713 are included under the topic Early Rymer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rymer Spelling Variations

One relatively recent invention that did much to standardize English spelling was the printing press. However, before its invention even the most literate people recorded their names according to sound rather than spelling. The spelling variations under which the name Rymer has appeared include Rymour, Rymer, Rymor, Rhymer and others.

Early Notables of the Rymer family

Distinguished members of the family include

Ralph Rymer, Lord of the Manor of Brafferton in Yorkshire, executed for his part in the Farnley Wood Plot of 1663

Rymer Ranking

In the United States, the name Rymer is the 10,307^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Rymer migration to the United States +

At this time, the shores of the New World beckoned many English families that felt that the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. Thousands left England at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. A great portion of these settlers never survived the journey and even a greater number arrived sick, starving, and without a penny. The survivors, however, were often greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. These English settlers made significant contributions to those colonies that would eventually become the United States and Canada. An examination of early immigration records and passenger ship lists revealed that people bearing the name Rymer arrived in North America very early:

Rymer Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Martha Rymer settled with her husband in Rapahanock in Virginia in 1729
George Rymer, who settled in New England in 1772

Rymer migration to Australia +

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

Rymer Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Rymer, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Fairfield" in 1840 7

Contemporary Notables of the name Rymer (post 1700) +

Allison Rymer, American script coordinator, known for her work on The Client List (2012), So Random! (2011) and Greek (2007)
Chris Rymer, American visual effects specialist, known for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), The Green Hornet (2011) and The Smurfs (2011)
Russ Rymer, American author and freelance journalist for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, National Geographic and others
Pamela Ann Rymer (b. 1941), United States federal jurist, Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (1989-2011), Judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of California (1983-1989)
Weymouth Rymer, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virgin Islands, 1940; Member of Virgin Islands legislature, 1955-58 8
W. L. Rymer, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Boone County Democratic Party, 1955 8
Samuel E. W. Rymer, American Republican politician, Candidate for Pennsylvania State Senate 7th District, 1964 8
Henry A. Rymer, American politician, Member of West Virginia State House of Delegates from Tyler County, 1879-80 8
Dwight Rymer, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Oklahoma, 1980 8
Bert E. Rymer, American politician, Mayor of Scottsbluff, Nebraska, 1936-38 8
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) FAIRFIELD 1840. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1840Fairfield.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html