Plume History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Plume surname comes from uncertain origins. Some instances of the name come from the Middle English word "plum(b)e," in turn from the Middle Low German "plum" all meaning "plum." As such, the name would have been used as a name for someone who lived by a plum tree, or for a grower or seller of plums. 1
The surname is also thought to derive from the Old French "plomb," meaning "lead;" in which case it was thought to have originally been an occupational name for a plumber. 2
Early Origins of the Plume family
The surname Plume was first found in Suffolk where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 13th century when they held estates in that county.
The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had two listings for the family: Richard Plumbe, Cambridgeshire; and Symon Plumbe, Huntingdonshire. 3
Early History of the Plume family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Plume research. Another 152 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487, 1510, 1560, 1600, 1630, 1670, 1704, 1718, 1724 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Plume History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Plume Spelling Variations
Spelling variations of this family name include: Plumm, Plumme, Plum, Plume, Ploom, Ploum, Ploume and many more.
Early Notables of the Plume family
Distinguished members of the family include
- Reverend Doctor Thomas Plume, B.A., D.D. (1630-1704), an English churchman and philanthropist, founder the Plume School, in Maldon, Essex. William Plumbe, B.A. was rector of the church of St. Michael...
Plume migration to the United States +
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Plume Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- John Plume, aged 45, who arrived in New York in 1812 4
- E L Plume, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
- J V Plume, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 4
Contemporary Notables of the name Plume (post 1700) +
- Ilse Plume, American illustrator of children's books, best known for her book, The Bremen Town Musicians, a Caldecott Honor book for 1981
- Kenneth "Ken" Plume (b. 1977), American author, broadcaster, and owner of Fred Entertainment
- Amélie Plume (b. 1943), Swiss writer
- Mike Plume (b. 1968), Canadian country music singer and songwriter from Moncton, New Brunswick
Citations +
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
- Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
- 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)