Domball History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Domball was brought to England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Domball family lived in Cheshire. The family was originally from Dumville, in the arrondisement of Lisieux in Normandy. "The family, who probably entered England at the Conquest, were resident in co. Chester from the time of Henry III. till the beginning of the XVIII. cent." 1

Early Origins of the Domball family

The surname Domball was first found in Cheshire where the family was originally of Donville in the arrondisement of Lisieux in Normandy. The family held estates at Thingwell in Cheshire in early times. One of the first records of the family was Adam de Dunville 1182, who witnessed a charter in Chester. 2

"In the reign of Richard II. this place was held by the Domvilles, from whom it passed, through the Hulses and the Troutbecks, to the ancestors of the Earl of Shrewsbury." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had only one entry for the family: Hugo de Donvile, or Donvil, Salop (Shropshire.) 4

Early History of the Domball family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Domball research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1565, 1609, 1613, 1624, 1641, 1650, 1678, 1689, 1696, 1721, 1742, 1768, 1813 and 1833 are included under the topic Early Domball History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Domball Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Domvile, Domville, Donvill, Donville, Dunville and many more.

Early Notables of the Domball family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir William Domville (1565-1624) Silas Domville (1624-1678), was an English antiquary, the son of Silvanus Taylor, a committee-man for Herefordshire and 'a grand Oliverian,' born at Harley, near Much Wenlock, Shropshire, on 16 July 1624. "Although Wood calls him Domville or D'omville, it does not appear that Taylor...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Domball Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Domball family to Ireland

Some of the Domball family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 134 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Domball family

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Domball or a variant listed above: Edward Dumbrell, who came to Maryland in 1719; Patrick Domvile, who landed in America in 1754; as well as a Major Domville, who came to Halifax, N.S. in 1796..

The Domball Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Qui stat caveat ne cadat
Motto Translation: Let him who standeth take heed lest he fall.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)