Show ContentsTurnbull History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Turnbull Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Turnbull

What does the name Turnbull mean?

According to family tradition, the Turnbull 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 Turnbull family

The surname Turnbull 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 Turnbull family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Turnbull 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 Turnbull History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Turnbull Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Turnbull family

  • Sir Walter Rule (Turnbull), Scottish Champion. 4

Turnbull World Ranking

the United States, the name Turnbull is the 3,806th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 5 However, in Canada, the name Turnbull is ranked the 968th most popular surname with an estimated 5,593 people with that name. 6 And in Australia, the name Turnbull is the 344th popular surname with an estimated 10,486 people with that name. 7 New Zealand ranks Turnbull as 377th with 1,701 people. 8 The United Kingdom ranks Turnbull as 399th with 16,208 people. 9

Migration of the Turnbull family to Ireland

Some of the Turnbull 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.

Turnbull migration to the United States +



Turnbull Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Alexander Turnbull, who settled in East New Jersey in 1684
  • Thomas and William Turnbull, who settled in New Jersey in 1685
  • William Turnbull, who arrived in Perth Amboy, NJ in 1685 10
Turnbull Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • James Turnbull, who arrived in Charles Town [Charleston], South Carolina in 1734
  • John Turnbull, who settled in Annapolis, Maryland in 1753
  • George Turnbull, who settled in New York in 1756
  • Andrew Turnbull, who arrived in America in 1766 10
  • Ann Turnbull, aged 23, who landed in Savanna(h), Georgia in 1774 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Turnbull Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Gavin Turnbull, who settled in South Carolina in 1812
  • Adam Turnbull, aged 38, who arrived in Delaware in 1812 10
  • Gavin Turnbull, aged 46, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 10
  • George Turnbull, aged 51, who arrived in New York in 1812 10
  • Joseph Turnbull, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1823 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Turnbull migration to Canada +

Turnbull Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • William Turnbull, who settled in Bonavista, Newfoundland in 1765 11
  • Foster Turnbull, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1774
  • Donald Turnbull, who settled in Prince Edward Island in 1775
  • Thomas Turnbull, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1783
  • Mr. Joseph Turnbull U.E. who settled in Carleton [Saint John City], New Brunswick c. 1784 12
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Turnbull Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Euphemia Turnbull, who settled in Nova Scotia in 1818
  • Joanna Turnbull, aged 40, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Lady Campbell" in 1834
  • Mr. Daniel Turnbull, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Yorkshire" departing 9th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 10th August 1847 but he died on board 13
  • Mr. John Turnbull who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Yorkshire" departing 9th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 10th August 1847 but he died on board 13
  • Mr. Robert Turnbull, aged 2 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Yorkshire" departing 9th June 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 10th August 1847 but he died on board 13
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Turnbull migration to Australia +

Turnbull Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Turnbull 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:

Turnbull Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Dr Turnbull, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1842 aboard the ship London
  • Mrs. G. Turnbull, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Blundell" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 21st September 1848 18
  • George Turnbull, aged 25, a farm labourer, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Philip Laing" in 1848
  • Mr. George Turnbull, Scottish settler travelling from Greenock aboard the ship "Philip Laing" arriving in Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 15th April 1848 19
  • Mr. Turnbull, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Josephine Willis" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 5th February 1855 18
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Turnbull (post 1700) +

  • Malcolm Bligh Turnbull (b. 1954), Australian politician, 29th Prime Minister of Australia and the Leader of the Liberal Party (2015-)
  • Charles Wesley Turnbull (1935-2022), American politician, educator and historian, 6th Governor of the United States Virgin Islands from 1999 to 2007
  • Ross Turnbull (1934-2015), Canadian-born, American ice hockey winger who played from 1954 to 1959
  • Sara Little Turnbull (1917-2015), born Sara Finkelstein, an American product designer, design innovator and educator, one of America's first female industrial designers
  • Walter Turnbull (1944-2007), American musician and the founder of the internationally renowned Boys Choir of Harlem
  • Colin Macmillan Turnbull (1924-1994), famous British-American anthropologist
  • William Robert Jolyon "Bill" Turnbull (1956-2022), English television and radio presenter and journalist, known for his pioneering work at BBC News 24, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Breakfast
  • Ven. John Turnbull (b. 1950), English pop and rock guitarist/vocalist
  • Mrs. Lesley Anne Turnbull M.B.E., British recipient of Member of the Order of the British Empire on 8th June 2018, for services to seriously ill children, their parents and to their families on the Isle of Man 20
  • ... (Another 17 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Empress of Ireland
  • Master Albert Reginald Turnbull (1903-1914), Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 21
  • Mrs. Caroline Ellen Turnbull (1869-1914), née Norman Canadian Third Class Passenger from Toronto, Ontario, Canada who was traveling aboard the Empress of Ireland and died in the sinking 22
  • Robert Turnbull (d. 1945), British Engine Room Artificer 4th Class aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 22
  • Mr. William S Turnbull (b. 1922), English Able Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Lambeth, London, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23

Suggested Readings for the name Turnbull +

  • American Beginnings by David B. Trimble.
  • The Texas Turnbo's by Charles Alton Turnbo.
  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. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  5. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  6. "Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
  7. "Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
  8. "Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
  9. "UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
  10. 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)
  11. Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
  12. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
  13. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 97)
  14. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
  15. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 14th July 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/atlas
  16. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) Agamemnon voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1820 with 179 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/agamemnon/1820
  17. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 5th March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/competitor
  18. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  19. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  20. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62310, 31 October 2019 | London Gazette, The Gazette, June 2018, https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/62310/supplement/B1
  21. Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
  22. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  23. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm

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