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Common History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand

Common History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

It is generally believed that this name comes from a Breton personal name, derived from element "cam," meaning "bent," or "crooked;" or perhaps from the herb called "cummin" (cumin).

Or the name may have come from the place name Comines, in Northern France, bordering the Belgium border. Regarding this latter scenario, multiple sources agree with this postulation, but all include wording similar to "there is no positive evidence in favor of this view." 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Common family

The surname Common was first found in Norfolk, Lincolnshire, and Yorkshire in England, in the 12th and 13th centuries. Robert of Comyn (Comines,) (died 1069) was a noble who accompanied William the Conqueror and was made Earl of Northumberland. "He so commended himself to the king by his military skill that he was chosen at the end of 1068 for the difficult task of reducing the north of England to obedience. William I conferred on him the earldom of Northumberland, vacant by the flight of Gospatric. Comin was the founder of the family of Comyn, many of whom played an important part in the history of Scotland." 4

"The first of the name connected with Scotland is Willelmus Comyn, a churchman, chancellor to David I. He was promoted to the bishopric of Durham by the Empress Matilda, but had many controversies with his clergy. Later he was poisoned by some of their number who mixed poison with the wine of the Sacrament and give it to him to drink. Richard Cumyn, second of the name in Scotland, made a gift of the church of Lyntun-ruderic (Linton-Roderick) to the Abbey of Kelso for the weal of the souls of Earl Henry (d. 1152) and his own son, John. He also witnessed charters by William the Lion after 1165 (REM., I, 2). By his marriage with Hextilda, granddaughter of Donald Bane, king of Scots, he had a son, William, who became chancellor and great justiciary of Scotland. William married Marjory, daughter and heiress of Fergus, the last Celtic earl of Buchan between 1211-1224, and in right of his wife became earl of Buchan. " 2

John Comyn (d. 1212), was Archbishop of Dublin and was in his early life a trusted official and chaplain of Henry II.

Later, John Comyn (Cumyn) (c. 1215-1275) was Lord of Badenoch in Scotland and justiciar of Galloway in 1258. He founded and started the construction of Blair Castle with a tower in 1269. He was nephew of Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan, Constable of Scotland, and of Walter Comyn, Earl of Mentieth. 4

Alexander Comyn, 2nd Earl of Buchan (d. 1289), was Constable of Scotland, "the son of William Comyn, Earl of Buchan, the founder of Deer Abbey, and of Marjory, his second wife, who brought the title into the Comyn family. " 4

John Comyn the Elder (d. 1300?), of Badenoch, was 'claimant to the Scottish throne,' and was the second son of John Comyn, Justiciar of Galloway. His lordship of Badenoch came from his uncle, Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith. 4

His son, John Comyn the younger (d. 1306), of Badenoch, surnamed The Red, was one of the competitors for the crown of Scotland in 1291. 4

Early History of the Common family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Common research. Another 456 words (33 lines of text) covering the years 1124, 1133, 1150, 1153, 1180, 1189, 1212, 1258, 1263, 1264, 1266, 1274, 1275, 1286, 1289, 1296, 1300, 1302, 1306 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Common History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Common Spelling Variations

Spelling variations were extremely common in medieval names, since scribes from that era recorded names according to sound rather than a standard set of rules. Common has appeared in various documents spelled Cumin, Cumins, Cumine, Cummin, Cummins, Cummine, Comings, Comins, Commin and many more.

Early Notables of the Common family

Notable among the family at this time was John Comyn (died 1274), was justiciar of Galloway, the son of Richard Comyn and nephew of the powerful Walter Comyn, Earl of Menteith. His son John Comyn the Elder (died 1300), of Badenoch, 'claimant to the Scottish throne,' was the second son of John Comyn, justiciar of Galloway. Alexander Comyn (d. 1289)...
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Common Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Common family to Ireland

Some of the Common family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 142 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Common migration to the United States +

The descendants of the Dalriadan families who made the great crossing of the Atlantic still dot communities along the east coast of the United States and Canada. In the American War of Independence, many of the settlers traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Clan societies and highland games have allowed Canadian and American families of Scottish descent to recover much of their lost heritage. Investigation of the origins of family names on the North American continent has revealed that early immigrants bearing the name Common or a variant listed above include:

Common Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Robert Common, who landed in America in 1818 5
Mr. Samuel Common, (b. 1868), aged 24, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Alaska" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 20th June 1892 en route to Montana, USA 6
Mrs. Emily Common, (b. 1871), aged 21, Cornish lady travelling aboard the ship "Alaska" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 20th June 1892 en route to Montana, USA 6
Mr. Sydney Common, (b. 1880), aged 19, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 11th March 1899 en route to Ironwood, Michigan, USA 6

Common migration to Australia +

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

Common Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Stephen Common, (b. 1826), aged 23, Cornish miller from Roche, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Walter Morrice" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 12th February 1849 7
Mr. John Common, (b. 1833), aged 22, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Ramillies" arriving in New South Wales, Australia on 19th November 1855 8
Mr. Richard Common, (b. 1831), aged 25, Cornish farm servant from St. Columb, Cornwall, UKtravelling from Plymouth, Devon, UK aboard the ship "Aliquis" arriving in Adelaide, Australia on 26th August 1856 9
Mrs. Mary Common (née Tregilas), (b. 1835), aged 21, Cornish settler from St. Columb, Cornwall, UKtravelling from Plymouth, Devon, UK aboard the ship "Aliquis" arriving in Adelaide, Australia on 26th August 1856 9
Miss Mary Common, (b. 1856), aged Infant, Cornish settler from St. Columb, Cornwall, UKtravelling from Plymouth, Devon, UK aboard the ship "Aliquis" arriving in Adelaide, Australia on 26th August 1856 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Common 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:

Common Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Ms. Caroline Common, (b. 1851), aged 27, Cornish settler departing on 10th July 1878 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 13th October 1878 10
Ms. Elizabeth Common, (b. 1855), aged 22, Cornish settler departing on 26th September 1877 aboard the ship "Opawa" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 3rd January 1878 10
Miss Jane Common, (b. 1876), aged 2, Cornish settler departing on 10th July 1878 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 13th October 1878 10
Mr. John Common, (b. 1852), aged 26, Cornish farm labourer departing on 10th July 1878 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 13th October 1878 10
Miss Julia Common, (b. 1875), aged 3, Cornish settler departing on 10th July 1878 aboard the ship "Waitangi" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 13th October 1878 10
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
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)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, May 30). Ships' Passenger Lists of Arrivals in New South Wales on (1828 - 1842, 1848 - 1849) [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1838_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_nsw_1850_59.pdf
The Ships List Passenger Lists Ship Aliquis (Retrieved 26th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/aliquis1856.shtml
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf