Show ContentsHumberstom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Humberstom is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Humberstom family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Humberstom family lived in Humber, Herefordshire, from where they took their name. The place-name Humber indicates the proximity of the settlement to a river bearing the same name. It was a common prehistoric name for rivers and is of uncertain meaning.

Early Origins of the Humberstom family

The surname Humberstom was first found in Herefordshire in the west country of England where they held a family seat as Lords of the manor of Humber from ancient times. Humber, an ancient English hamlet in the union of Leominster, hundred of Wolphy, dating back to the Iron Age, was granted by Duke William of Normandy in 1066 to Roger de Lacy, a Norman noble from whom the family name Humber is conjecturally descended. The Humber is a large tidal estuary on the east coast of Northern England.

Early feudal rolls provided the king of the time a method of cataloguing holdings for taxation, but today they provide a glimpse into the wide surname spellings in use at that time. John de Hwnbre was listed in Warwickshire in 1305 and John Humbre was found in Cheshire in 1392. 1

Early History of the Humberstom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Humberstom research. Another 126 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1604 is included under the topic Early Humberstom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Humberstom Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Humberstom have been found, including Humber, Humbar, Humbor, Umber, Umbar, Umbor, Humbere, Humbore, Humbare, Humberston, Humbertson, Humberstone, Humberton, Humbertown, Humberstown, Humbletown, Humbleston, Humblestown and many more.

Early Notables of the Humberstom family

More information is included under the topic Early Humberstom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Humberstom family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Humberstom were among those contributors: Edmund Humber settled in New York city in 1823 at the age of 32; Jacob Humber settled in Maryland in 1762; Henry Humberstone settled in New Haven Connecticut between 1620 and 1650.



  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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