Show ContentsRumsey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Rumsey family

The surname Rumsey was first found in Hampshire at Romsey, a small market town and parish that dates back to Saxon times when it was first listed as Rummaesig c. 970. [1]

"This place, which derives its name from the Saxon, was selected as the site of an abbey for nuns of the Benedictine order by Edward the Elder, whose daughter Elfleda was the first abbess. The foundation was augmented in 967, by Edgar, whose son Edmund was interred in the abbey church; all the early abbesses were of royal birth, and eminent for their sanctity. " [2]

By the time of the Domesday Book, [3] the town was known as Romesy [1] and was known as the lannds of Romsey, held by Hundger, a Norman noble who was recorded in the Domesday Book census of 1086. [3]

Early History of the Rumsey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rumsey research. Another 105 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1206, 1306, 1331, 1584, 1640, 1642, 1645, 1647 and 1660 are included under the topic Early Rumsey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Rumsey Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Romsey, Rumsey, Romsie, Rumsie, Roomsy, Roumsey and others.

Early Notables of the Rumsey family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

  • Walter Rumsey (1584-1660) was a Welsh judge and politician born in Llanover, Monmouthshire who sat in the House of Commons in 1640...
  • On the outbreak of the civil war in 1642, Rumsey was appointed by the king a commissioner of array for Monmouth, but was taken prisoner on the capture of Hereford by the forces of parliament, 18 Dec....

Rumsey Ranking

In the United States, the name Rumsey is the 6,255th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. [4]


United States Rumsey migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rumsey Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Robert Rumsey, who arrived in Fairfield, Connecticut in 1664 [5]
Rumsey Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • B. Rumsey, aged 39, who landed in America from England, in 1893
  • Charles Rumsey, aged 28, who immigrated to the United States from London, in 1893
  • Albert E. Rumsey, aged 15, who immigrated to the United States, in 1894
  • Elma Rumsey, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896
Rumsey Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Charles E. Rumsey, who landed in America, in 1905
  • D.P. Rumsey, aged 50, who settled in America, in 1907
  • Beatrice F. Rumsey, aged 24, who immigrated to America from Northampton, England, in 1908
  • Rumsey, aged 5, who settled in America from Northampton, England, in 1908
  • Edna Rumsey, aged 5, who settled in America, in 1908
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Rumsey migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Rumsey Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Robert Rumsey, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1749

Contemporary Notables of the name Rumsey (post 1700) +

  • Vern Rumsey (1973-2020), American musician and the bassist for the band Unwound
  • Howard Rumsey (1917-2015), American jazz double-bassist
  • Charles Cary Rumsey (1879-1922), American sculptor
  • Elisha Walker Rumsey (d. 1827), American pioneer, co-founder of Ann Arbor, Michigan
  • James Rumsey (1743-1792), American engineer, best known for his steam powered boat
  • Edwin F. Rumsey, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from South Carolina, 2008 [6]
  • Edward Rumsey (1796-1868), American politician, Member of Kentucky State Legislature; U.S. Representative from Kentucky 2nd District, 1837-39 [6]
  • David Rumsey (1810-1883), American politician, Representative from New York 30th District, 1847-51 [6]
  • Darce F. Rumsey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Illinois, 1952 [6]
  • Charles J. Rumsey, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1888 [6]
  • ... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 9) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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