| ![Show Contents]() Wombles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The name Wombles arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Wombles family lived in the South Yorkshire, at Wombwell. where "the family took the local name of Wombwell from the manor in the thirteenth century." 1 While this may the case, another reference claims that the progenitor of the family was "Robert de Wombwell, temp King Stephen. [reign: 1135-1154]" 2 Early Origins of the Wombles familyThe surname Wombles was first found in South Yorkshire, at Wombwell, a small town near Barnsley that dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where it was listed as Wanbuelle at that time and literally meant "spring or stream in a hollow, or from a man called Wamba," from the Old English word "wamb" or the personal name + "wella." 3 Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, this town lays claim to having the first ever recorded case of scrying (finding stolen property with the help of a crystal ball) in 1467 when William Byg was charged for heresy. The oldest ancestor of the family was "Hugh Wombwell of Wombwell, son of Henry Lowell de Wombwell, living in the reign of Edward III." 1 Wombwell Hall, near Northfleet in Kent was built by a branch of the family in 1471. It was held by the family until 1646, when the local branch of the family died out and John Forterie, a Huguenot refugee from Lille, purchased the estate. Early History of the Wombles familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wombles research. Another 79 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1574 and 1696 are included under the topic Early Wombles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Wombles Spelling VariationsA multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include Wombwell, Womwell, Wombwall and others. Early Notables of the Wombles familyMore information is included under the topic Early Wombles Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Wombles familyMany English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Wombles or a variant listed above: Thomas Wombwell who settled in Virginia in 1648.
- Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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