Rymour History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The Anglo-Saxon name Rymour comes from when its first bearer worked as 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 Rymour family

The surname Rymour 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 Rymour family

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

Rymour Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Rymour include Rymour, Rymer, Rymor, Rhymer and others.

Early Notables of the Rymour 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; and his son, Thomas Rymer (1641-1713), English, writer, critic, historiographer...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Rymour Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Rymour family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Rymour or a variant listed above: George Rymer settled in New England in 1772; Martha Rymer settled with her husband in Rapahanock in Virginia in 1729.

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.