Turnbill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

A tribe known as the Boernicians in ancient Scotland were the first to use the name Turnbill. It is a name for a man named Rule (sometimes Ruel) who saved King Robert the Bruce at Stirling Park from a charging bull by turning the bull's head.

According to tradition, the King rewarded Rule with lands in Bedrule, and instructed him to change his name to Turnbull. This same man, Rule, is said to have served at the Battle of Halidon Hill in 1333, against the English. Rule preceded the Scottish Army into battle with a huge black dog, and challenged any Englishman to fight him. Sir Robert Venal of Norfolk accepted his challenge and killed both Rule and his dog. 1 While the account of the fight is most certainly true and well documented, the legend behind the name Turnbull is questionable.

Early Origins of the Turnbill family

The surname Turnbill was first found in Roxburghshire. Referring to the aforementioned Rule reference, there was a noble family of Rule, which derived its name from the Water of Rule, an affluent of the Teviot.

This family dates back to 1214 when King William the Lion of Scotland granted lands to Alan de Rule. If the bull episode is true, then the bearer was either Adam de Rule or Thomas de Rule, the two Rule chieftains who appeared on the Ragman Rolls in 1296, just after the Stirling Park affair.

Later, King Robert the Bruce did in fact grant lands in the west of Fulhophalche to William Turnbull in 1315. King David II also granted the lands of Humdallwalschop (now Hundleshop) to John Turnbull. 1

The source "The History of Liddesdale and the Debatable Land" includes the following entries for the family: David Trumbull or Turnbull, 1494; George Trumbull or Turnbull, 1404-5; Jock Trumble, 1544; and Wat Trombull, 1562. 2

Early History of the Turnbill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Turnbill research. Another 389 words (28 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1296, 1315, 1329, 1333, 1400, 1447, 1450, 1454, 1545, 1562, 1591, 1633 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Turnbill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Turnbill Spelling Variations

Spelling variations occur frequently in Scottish names that date from the medieval era. They result from a general lack of grammatical rules and the tendency to spell names according to sound. Turnbill has been spelled Turnbull, Turnball, Trimble, Trimbell, Trumbell, Trumbill, Turnbul and many more.

Early Notables of the Turnbill family

Notable amongst bearers of this family name during their early history was William Turnbull (d. 1454), Bishop of Glasgow, who procured from the pope a charter to establish a university in the city...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Turnbill Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Turnbill family to Ireland

Some of the Turnbill family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Turnbill migration to the United States +

In the 20th century, the ancestors of many of those Boernician-Scottish people still populate North America. They distributed themselves on either side of the border at the time of the War of Independence. United Empire Loyalists went north to Canada and those who wanted a new nation stayed south. Both groups went on to found great nations. Some of the first North American settlers with Turnbill name or one of its variants:

Turnbill Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Robert Turnbill, aged 52, originally from Stanmor, who arrived in New York in 1903 aboard the ship "Cymric" from Liverpool, England 3
Noel Turnbill, aged 13, originally from Stanmor, who arrived in New York in 1903 aboard the ship "Cymric" from Liverpool, England 3
Robert Turnbill, aged 20, originally from Polmont, Scotland, who arrived in New York in 1912 aboard the ship "Caledonia" from Glasgow, Scotland 3
Thomas Stewart Turnbill, aged 20, who arrived in New York in 1918 aboard the ship "Toloa" from Liverpool, England 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Turnbill (post 1700) +

Bill Turnbill, Canadian Gemini Award winning Canadian Comedy Award nominated actor, known for his roles in Degrassi: The Next Generation (2012) and Todd and the Book of Pure Evil (2010-2012)

Citations +

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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result