Halcomb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The present generation of the Halcomb family is only the most recent to bear a name that dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. Their name comes from having lived in Holcombe, in Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Lancashire, Oxfordshire, and Somerset. The place-name is derived from the Old English elements hol, which means "deep" or "hollow," and cumb, which means "valley." The place-name taken as a whole means "deep hollow valley." 1

Early Origins of the Halcomb family

The surname Halcomb was first found in Devon where Holcombe Rogus is listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 2 Rogo held the manor in 1086.

From this earliest reference, the Testa de Nevill, sive Liber Feodorum, temp. Henry III-Edward I. listed Henry de Holecoumbe, Devon, Henry III-Edward I. 3 Later the Hundrodorum Rolls of 1273 listed: John de Holecumbe, Somerset, Geoffrey de Holecumb, Oxfordshire, and Simon de Holecumb, Oxfordshire. 4

The source Old English Bynames listed Brihtmer at Holacumbe c.1100-30 and Adam de Holecumb was listed in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1256. 5

Early History of the Halcomb family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Halcomb research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1301, 1525, 1690, 1706, 1707, 1708 and 1750 are included under the topic Early Halcomb History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halcomb 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 Halcomb include Holcombe, Holcomb and others.

Early Notables of the Halcomb family

Notables of the family at this time include Henry Holcombe (1690?-1750?), English musical composer, born about 1690, probably at Shrewsbury, and was a chorister there. " While still a boy, he came to London, and took part in the ‘Anglo-Italian’ operatic performances at Drury Lane. His...
Another 45 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Halcomb Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Halcomb Ranking

In the United States, the name Halcomb is the 3,899^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 6

Migration of the Halcomb family

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 Halcomb were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records: Thomas Holcomb, who settled in Nantucket, Massachusetts in 1630; Andrew and Thomas Holcombe settled in Barbados in 1663; Sarah Holcombe settled in Jamaica in 1664.

Contemporary Notables of the name Halcomb (post 1700) +

Edith Halcomb (d. 1950), American politician, Physician; Candidate for U.S. Representative from Colorado 3rd District, 1918 7

Citations +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Testa de Nevill or "Liber Feodorum" or "Book of Fees," thought to have been written by Ralph de Nevill, for King John (1199–1216)
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)
"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 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html