Tamblyn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Wales

The Celtic origin of the name Tamblyn was long ago developed in Wales. This surname comes from the names Tam, Thom, and Tom, which are pet forms of the personal name Thomas. The surname Tamblyn features a double diminutive, formed from the suffixes -el and -in. 1 2 3

Early Origins of the Tamblyn family

The surname Tamblyn was first found in Breconshire (Welsh: Sir Frycheiniog), a traditional county in southern Wales, which takes its name from the Welsh kingdom of Brycheiniog (5th-10th centuries), where they were conjecturally descended from Elystan Glodrydd, Prince of Fferllys, through Thomas of Llyn Madoc. Hence Tomlyn, in North Wales was commonly replaced by an 'a' hence Tamlyn.

Early English rolls provide us a glimpse of the spelling variations used through Medieval times. Today we typically need to look beyond the spellings of these entries and concentrate on a phonetic appreciation of the names. Peter Tamelyn was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. 4 "The 14th - cent. English forms are Tomelyn, Thomelyn, Tomlyn, Thomlyn." 2 In Somerset, John Tomelyn and John Thomelyn were both listed there 1 Edward III (in the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 5

Early History of the Tamblyn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Tamblyn research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1563, 1621, 1629, 1650, 1750, 1762, 1763, 1772, 1774, 1787, 1803, 1804, 1811, 1815, 1820, 1827, 1828, 1841 and 1872 are included under the topic Early Tamblyn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tamblyn Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Tamblyn have included Tamblyn, Taplin, Tapling, Tomblyn, Tomlyn, Tomline and many more.

Early Notables of the Tamblyn family

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Richard Tomlins or Tomlyns (1563-1650), an English lawyer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1621 and 1629; and Sir George Pretyman Tomline (1750-1828), born George Pretyman, Bishop of Lincoln (1787-1820.) He was "tutor of the younger Pitt, and bishop of Winchester, was the son of George Pretyman of Bury St. Edmunds, by his wife Susan, daughter of John Hubbard. His father represented an ancient and respectable Suffolk family which had held land at Bacton in Suffolk from the fifteenth century. Tomline (who until 1803 bore the name...
Another 176 words (13 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Tamblyn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Tamblyn migration to Australia +

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

Tamblyn Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Henry Tamblyn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Aboukir" in 1847 6
Nicholas Tamblyn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1847 7
Mary Jane Tamblyn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1847 7
Nichalos Tamblyn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1847 7
John Tamblyn, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1847 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Tamblyn 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:

Tamblyn Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mrs. Annie Tamblyn, (b. 1837), aged 37, Cornish settler departing on 2nd October 1874 aboard the ship "Dilharree" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 16th January 1874 8
Mr. John Tamblyn, (b. 1839), aged 35, Cornish mine labourer departing on 2nd October 1874 aboard the ship "Dilharree" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 16th January 1874 8
Mr. William Tamblyn, (b. 1852), aged 23, Cornish blacksmith departing on 31st October 1875 aboard the ship "Otaki" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 8th February 1876 9

Contemporary Notables of the name Tamblyn (post 1700) +

Christine Tamblyn (1951-1998), American feminist media artist, critic, and educator
Eddie Tamblyn (1907-1957), American actor, known for College Cuties (1930), The Girl Rush (1931) and The Freshman's Finish (1931), father of Russ Tamblyn
Bonnie Tamblyn (b. 1974), née Murray, American actress and composer, known for Time Wars (1993), Chatty Catties (2015) and The Talk (2010), wife of Russ Tamblyn
Larry Tamblyn (b. 1943), American composer, known for The Closing (2015) and Riot on Sunset Strip (1967)
Amber Rose Tamblyn (b. 1983), American Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award nominated actress, known for her work in 127 Hours (2010), Django Unchained (2012) and The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (2005), daughter of Russ Tamblyn
Russ Tamblyn (b. 1934), American Golden Globe Award winning and Academy Award, Grammy Award and Laurel Award nominated actor, known for his work on Drive (2011), Django Unchained (2012) and West Side Story (1961)
George O. Tamblyn, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Washington 8th District, 1992 10
Gordon Tamblyn, Canadian businessman and entrepreneur, founder of Tamblyn Drugs, a chain of pharmacies in Canada in 1904, currently owned by the Boots Group

The Tamblyn 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: Quondam his vicimus armis
Motto Translation: We formerly conquered with these arms.

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)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) ABOUKIR 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Aboukir.htm
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) TRAFALGAR 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Trafalgar.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Auckland 1872-80 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
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
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 20) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html