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Coomb History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables

United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Coomb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Coomb is a name of ancient Anglo-Saxon origin and comes from a family once having lived in a small valley; the surname Coomb is often derived from the Old English word cumb, which means valley. In this case, it belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees. Alternately, the surname Coomb may be derived from residence in one of the many places called Comb, Combe, or Coombe. In this case, it belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Coomb family

The surname Coomb was first found in Devon where Richard de la Coombe held estates in that county in the year 1194. The name also found in the Feet of Fines of Somerset in 1269 where the entry Alan in la Cumbe was found. Robert atte Cumbe was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, and Thomas de Combe was listed in the Assize Rolls of Kent in the year 1317. John atte Combe was also listed in the same source. 1 Today Combs is a small village in Derbyshire and a parish, in the union and hundred of Stow, Suffolk. 2

An early record of the family was found in Somerset: John in le Coumbe, l Edward III (in the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 3 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed: Gilbert ate Cumbe, Oxfordshire; John ate Cumbe, Oxfordshire; Roger de la Cumbe, Oxfordshire; and Henry de la Cumbe, Somerset. 4

Later the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: Robertas Combe; and Radulphus de Combe; while in Norfolk, Edmund de la Comb was listed there 16 Edward I. 5

Early History of the Coomb family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Coomb research. Another 91 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1460, 1522, 1573, 1586, 1616, 1640, 1651, 1667, 1767, 1786, 1791, 1801, 1810, 1849 and 1850 are included under the topic Early Coomb History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Coomb Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore,spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Coomb has been recorded under many different variations, including Coombe, Combs, Coombs, Comes, Combes, Combe, Coombes, Cumbe, Coumbes, Coames, Coambes, Cumbes, Cumes, Cummes, Cume, Coomes, Coames, Cooms, Coumes, Coume, Cooms, Coom, Coomb, Comb and many more.

Early Notables of the Coomb family

Distinguished members of the family include

William Francis Coombe was the son of a singing-master at Plymouth, was born there in 1786. At fourteen years of age he obtained the appointment of organist of Chard, which he in a few years resigned...

Coomb migration to the United States +

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Coomb or a variant listed above:

Coomb Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Oswald Coomb, (b. 1880), aged 23, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "Philadelphia" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 19th September 1903 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 6
Mr. William Coomb, (b. 1879), aged 24, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 16th May 1903 en route to Houghton, Michigan, USA 6

Coomb migration to Australia +

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

Coomb Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

William Coomb, aged 34, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Omega" 7

Coomb 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:

Miss Annie Coomb, (b. 1864), aged 10, Cornish settler departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8
Miss Eliza J. Coomb, (b. 1862), aged 12, Cornish settler departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8

Coomb Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas J. Coomb, (b. 1860), aged 14, Cornish settler departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8
Mr. William H. Coomb, (b. 1834), aged 40, Cornish farm labourer departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8
Miss Hettie Coomb, (b. 1872), aged 2, Cornish settler departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8
Mrs. Mary Coomb, (b. 1838), aged 36, Cornish settler departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8
Miss Emily Coomb, (b. 1870), aged 4, Cornish settler departing on 4th December 1874 aboard the ship "Wellington" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 19th February 1875 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Coomb migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 9

Coomb Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

William Coomb, who settled in Barbados in 1685

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. 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)
Rye, Walter, A History of Norfolk. London: Elliot Stock, 62, Paternoster Row, 1885. Print
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) OMEGA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/omega1852.shtml
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies