Show ContentsTrumble History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Trumble

What does the name Trumble mean?

According to family tradition, the Trumble surname comes from when a member of the Rule family saved the life of King Robert the Bruce at Stirling Park from a charging bull by turning the bull's head. The grateful King decreed that in commemoration of the brave act the new name of the family would be Turnbull, and granted them an area of land then known as Bedrule. 1 Other Etymology suggests that the name comes from the Old English Trumbald, meaning "strongly bold." 2

Early Origins of the Trumble family

The surname Trumble was first found in Yorkshire at Wakefield where Alan Tumbald was recorded in 1313. Three years later in 1316, the Thrumball spelling was used. Peter Thrumbald was listed there in 1315 and Reginald Thrumbald was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk in 1327. Alice Thrumbald, Trumbald was listed at Wakefield (1316-1317) and much later the Subsidy Rolls for Suffolk included an entry for Elizabeth Trumble in 1568. 2

The Yorkshire Poll Tax of 1379 included an entry for Johannes Turnebull. 3

Early History of the Trumble family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Trumble research. Another 272 words (19 lines of text) covering the years 1214, 1249, 1296, 1335, 1447, 1635, 1639, 1716 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Trumble History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trumble Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Turnbull, Turnball, Trimble, Trimbell, Trumbell, Trumbill, Turnbul and many more.

Early Notables of the Trumble family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Trumble Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Trumble Ranking

In the United States, the name Trumble is the 14,728th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Trumble family to Ireland

Some of the Trumble family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Trumble migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Trumble Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Mica Trumble, who arrived in Maryland in 1675 5
Trumble Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Miss Trumble, aged 31, who settled in America, in 1895
Trumble Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Archibald Trumble, aged 39, who landed in America from Belfast, Ireland, in 1909
  • Robert A Trumble, aged 49, who landed in America, in 1910
  • Kate Trumble, aged 31, who landed in America from Croydon, England, in 1913
  • Albert Trumble, aged 26, who settled in America from Reading, England, in 1913
  • Eva Trumble, aged 7, who landed in America from Croydon, England, in 1913
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Trumble migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Trumble Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Marcus E. Trumble, (b. 1834), aged 27, British labourer travelling from London aboard the ship "Mystery" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 7th January 1862 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Trumble (post 1700) +

  • Francis Trumble, American chair and cabinetmaker in Philadelphia during the 18th century
  • Angus Alexander Geoffrey Trumble (1964-2022), Australian scholar, art curator, author and director of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia
  • David Trumble (b. 1986), British film writer/director and political cartoonist for The Sun newspaper
  • Thomas Trumble CMG, CBE (1872-1954), Australian public servant, Secretary of the Department of Defence during World War I, and Secretary from 1918 to 1927
  • John William Trumble (1863-1944), Australian cricketer who played 7 Test matches
  • Robert William Trumble (1919-2011), Australian musician and author
  • Hugh Trumble (1867-1938), Australian cricketer who played 32 Test matches


  1. 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)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  6. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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