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![Show Contents]() Rompkay History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
Rompkay is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Rompkay family lived in Kent, at New Romney, or Old Romney parishes and locals that date back to at least the Domesday Book where they were collectively known as Romenel. 1 In fact, Old Romney may be older: "The town had a good and much frequented haven prior to the Conquest; but in the reign of Edward III. " 2 Early Origins of the Rompkay familyThe surname Rompkay was first found in Kent where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Romney, anciently Romenel. "[New Romney], the name of which is probably derived from the Saxon Rumen-ea, "a large watery expanse, or marsh," arose from the decay of Old Romney. At the time of the Conquest it was a town of considerable importance, divided into twelve wards, and containing five parochial churches." 2 At the time of the taking of the Domesday Book, 1 a survey of England initiated by Duke William of Normandy after his conquest of England, the village of Romney was held by a Norman noble, Robert de Romenel, de Rumenae and as was the Norman custom, the second son of the family adopted the name of the village. 3 Early History of the Rompkay familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Rompkay research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1500, 1593, 1601 and 1603 are included under the topic Early Rompkay History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Rompkay Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Rumney, Rumnie, Romney, Romny, Romenel, Rumenel, Romnay and many more. Early Notables of the Rompkay familyMore information is included under the topic Early Rompkay Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Rompkay familyMany English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World 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 stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Rompkay or a variant listed above: Thomas Romney who settled in Virginia in 1635; John Romney settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1767; George Rumney settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1766.
- Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- 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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