Turnbull History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The name Turnbull was first used by the descendants of the Boernician people of the Scottish-English border region. 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 Turnbull family

The surname Turnbull 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 Turnbull family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Turnbull 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 Turnbull History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Turnbull Spelling Variations

In the many years before the invention of the printing press and the first dictionaries, names and other words were spelled according to sound, often differently with each person who wrote them. Spelling variations of Turnbull include Turnbull, Turnball, Trimble, Trimbell, Trumbell, Trumbill, Turnbul and many more.

Early Notables of the Turnbull family

Notable amongst bearers of this family name during their early history was

Turnbull World Ranking

In the United States, the name Turnbull is the 3,806th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Turnbull is ranked the 968th most popular surname with an estimated 5,593 people with that name. 5 And in Australia, the name Turnbull is the 344th popular surname with an estimated 10,486 people with that name. 6 New Zealand ranks Turnbull as 377th with 1,701 people. 7 The United Kingdom ranks Turnbull as 399th with 16,208 people. 8

Migration of the Turnbull family to Ireland

Some of the Turnbull 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.


Turnbull migration to the United States +

In many cases, the ancestors of many of these Boernician-Scottish people are just now learning of their Scottish heritage. Since the trip was so arduous, and many were fleeing from poverty itself, settlers brought little with them and often had nothing of their personal history to hand down to their children. Clan societies and highland games have helped to correct this problem in the 20th century. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Turnbulls to arrive on North American shores:

Turnbull Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Turnbull Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Turnbull Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Turnbull migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Turnbull Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Turnbull Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Turnbull migration to Australia +

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

Turnbull Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Turnbull 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:

Turnbull Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Turnbull (post 1700) +


Suggested Readings for the name Turnbull +
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