Show ContentsHumblestown History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Humblestown

What does the name Humblestown mean?

The ancestors of the Humblestown family brought their name to England in the wave of migration after the Norman Conquest of 1066. They 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 Humblestown family

The surname Humblestown 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 Humblestown family

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

Humblestown Spelling Variations

A multitude of spelling variations characterize Norman surnames. Many variations occurred because Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England also had a pronounced effect, as did the court languages of Latin and French. Therefore, one person was often referred to by several different spellings in a single lifetime. The various spellings include 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 Humblestown family

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

Migration of the Humblestown family

Many English families left England, to avoid the chaos of their homeland and migrated to the many British colonies abroad. Although the conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and some travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute, once in the colonies, many of the families prospered and made valuable contributions to the cultures of what would become the United States and Canada. Research into the origins of individual families in North America has revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Humblestown or a variant listed above: 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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