Commare History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The ancestors of the Commare surname lived among the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. The name comes from when they lived in a small valley. The surname Commare is derived from the Old English word cumb, which means valley. The surname Commare belongs to the large class of Anglo-Saxon topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.

Alternatively, the name could have been an occupational name for 'the comber,' as in 'the wool comber.' 1 "The early importance of this occupation was bound to create and preserve this surname. " 2

Early Origins of the Commare family

The surname Commare was first found in various counties an shires throughout ancient Britain. By example, the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Richard le Cumbere in Cambridgeshire; and John le Cumbur in Oxfordshire. 2

Ralph (le) Cambere was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Lincolnshire (1201-1202.) Reginald Combere (le Camber) was found in the Curia Regis Rolls for Hertfordshire in 1220 and Ralph le Combere and William le Comere were found in Norfolk in 1286. William le Combere was listed in the Assize Rolls of Cheshire in 1260 and later, John Comber was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. 3

John a Kent and John a Cumber is a sixteenth-century English play by Anthony Munday (c. 1560-1633.) The exact dating of the play is not known but we do know that it was being performed on stage as early as 1587. It is generally thought that in this case, the comedic play's character was in fact John a' Cumber (relating to Cumberland) The play has parallels with Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.

Early History of the Commare family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Commare research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1260, 1296, 1575, 1631, 1644, 1645, 1649, 1653, 1660, 1689 and 1699 are included under the topic Early Commare History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Commare Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Commare include Comber, Comer, Commber, Commer, Combers, Commers and others.

Early Notables of the Commare family

Notables of this surname at this time include: Thomas Comber (1575-1653), an English linguist, Dean of Carlisle and Master of Trinity College, Cambridge (1631-1645.) He was born at Shermanbury, Sussex, on 1 Jan. 1575, being the twelfth son of his father, who was a barrister-at-law. 4Thomas Comber (1645-1699), was an English churchman from Barkham, Sussex, Dean of Durham from 1689. He "was descended from an ancient family at Barkham, Sussex. His father, James Comber, was the fourth son of John Comber, who was uncle to Thomas Comber, Dean of Carlisle. Thomas was born at Westerham on 19 March 1644-5...
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Commare Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Commare family to Ireland

Some of the Commare family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 48 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Commare family

A great wave of immigration to the New World was the result of the enormous political and religious disarray that struck England at that time. Families left for the New World in extremely large numbers. The long journey was the end of many immigrants and many more arrived sick and starving. Still, those who made it were rewarded with an opportunity far greater than they had known at home in England. These emigrant families went on to make significant contributions to these emerging colonies in which they settled. Some of the first North American settlers carried this name or one of its variants: John Comer who settled in New England between 1620 and 1660; Richard Comer settled in America in 1773; George Stibband Comer settled in Maryland in 1776.

The Commare 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: Sapiens dominabitur astris
Motto Translation: A wise man can rule the stars.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. 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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print