Show ContentsCrommer History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Crommer

What does the name Crommer mean?

The name Crommer came to England with the ancestors of the Crommer family in the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Crommer family lived in Kent, where they were Lords of the manor of Tunstall Court.

Early Origins of the Crommer family

The surname Crommer was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Tunstall Court. Today, Tunstall is a village in the Borough of Swale in Kent, England.

Looking back at the Domesday Book of 1086, Tunstall was held at the taking of the Domesday Book by Hugh de Port from Bishop Odo of Bayeux as an under tenant. Conjecturally, the surname Cromer is descended from this source. 1

Today Cromer is a parish, and formerly a market-town, in the union of Erpingham, hundred of North Erpingham, E. division of Norfolk. "This place, originally of much greater extent, included the town of Shipden, which, with its church and a considerable number of houses, forming a parish, was destroyed by an inundation of the sea in the reign of Henry IV. The town commands a fine view of Cromer Bay, which, from its dangerous navigation, is by seamen called the 'Devil's Throat.'" 2

Later and further to the north Cromar can be found in "Aberdeenshire. There are still many families of the name living in the district. Thomas Cromar was accused of consulting a sorcerer in 1672. " 3

Early History of the Crommer family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Crommer research. Another 108 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1471, 1509, 1522, 1532, 1534, 1543, 1603, 1696, 1704 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Crommer History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Crommer Spelling Variations

Multitudes of spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Cromer, Crowmer, Croamer, Croemer, Croomer, Cromar, Cromere and many more.

Early Notables of the Crommer family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir James Cromer, Gallant Knight; and George Cromer (died 1543), Irish Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland in the reign of Henry VIII of England (1532-1534.) He was an Englishman by birth and succeeded Kite at Armagh in 1522. "He was attached to the faction of Gerald, earl of Kildare, through whom he was made lord chancellor of Ireland in 1532, after the removal...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Crommer Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Crommer family

Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for Ireland, North America, and Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Crommer or a variant listed above: Dennise Cromer settled in Virginia in 1705.



  1. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)


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