Show ContentsGroomb History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain were the first to use the name of Groomb. The name had a practical origin since it came from when its initial bearer worked as a servant or attendant. Groom is a Old English word for a house servant; it was also applied to shepherds. It is the word from which the surname Groomb is derived.

Early Origins of the Groomb family

The surname Groomb was first found in Norfolk where Richard Grom was listed c. 1100. Years later, Ernald le Grom was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Gloucestershire in 1187. Later again, Robert Groum was noticed in the Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire in 1327 as holding lands there at that time. 1

Early History of the Groomb family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Groomb research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1279, 1319, 1327, 1335, 1678, 1695, 1699, 1709 and 1760 are included under the topic Early Groomb History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Groomb Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Groomb include Groome, Grome, Groom and others.

Early Notables of the Groomb family

Notables of this surname at this time include: John Groome (1678?-1760), an English clergyman and divine, chaplain to Robert Darcy, 3rd Earl of Holderness. He was "the son of John Groome of Norwich. After attending Norwich...
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Groomb Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Groomb family

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled under extremely harsh conditions: overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Groomb or a variant listed above: Nicholas Groome, Ship's Captain, settled in Massachusetts in 1630 and wrote a book called "A Glass for the people of the northeast" describing the people and the coast of New England.



  1. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)


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