Winscom History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Winscom

What does the name Winscom mean?

The ancient last name Winscom claims Winchcombe in Gloucestershire as their ancient homeland. This place name literally means "valley with a bend in it" from the Old English wincel + cumb. 1 Arthur claims the name was from "wincel, a corner, and comb, a valley - a valley encompassed on each side with hills." 2

Early Origins of the Winscom family

The surname Winscom was first found in Gloucestershire at Winchcombe, a market-town and parish, and the head of a union, in the Lower division of the hundred of Kiftsgate. "This place was formerly called Wincelcumb (from the Saxon Wincel, a corner, and comb, a valley), of which its modern name is obviously a contraction. During the heptarchy, if not the metropolis of the kingdom of Mercia, it was at least the residence of some of the Mercian kings, of whom Offa founded a nunnery here in 787. Cenulph, who succeeded to the throne of that kingdom, after the death of Egferth, Offa's son, who survived his father only a few months, had a palace here, and in 798 laid the foundation of a stately abbey for 300 monks of the Benedictine order." 3

Winchcombe was held, at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book survey in 1086, by the chief tenant, Gloucester Abbey. It consisted of three mills within a small village, and was once an Anglo-Saxon walled city. The town pre-dates the Conquest by over two centuries as the first listing was in 810 when it was known as Wincelcumbe. 4

However, we must look to Oxfordshire to find the first record of the family in ancient rolls. It was here that Vincent de Winchecumbe was recorded in 1207. Later, Richard de Wynchecoumbe and John Wynchecombe were recorded in the Assize Rolls for London in 1351 and 1382, respectively. 5

Early History of the Winscom family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Winscom research. Another 165 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1395, 1401, 1465, 1489, 1519, 1520, 1557, 1574, 1631, 1659, 1660, 1667 and 1703 are included under the topic Early Winscom History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Winscom Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Winchcomb, Winchcombe, Wincecombe, Wincomb, Wincombe, Winchecomb, Winchecombe, Wincams and many more.

Early Notables of the Winscom family

John Winchcombe (d. 1520), alias Smalwoode, an English clothier, "popularly known as Jack of Newbury, describes himself in his will as 'John Smalewoode the elder, alias John Wynchcombe, of the parishe of Seynt Nicholas in Newberry.' He is said by Herbert to have been descended from a Simon de Winchcombe, a rich draper of Candlewyk Street, London, who was Sheriff of London in 1379. He was, however, associated with Newbury from his earliest years, was there apprenticed to a clothier, and subsequently acquired great wealth through his successful pursuit of that trade. " 6 John Winchcombe (died 1557), son...
Another 98 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Winscom Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Winscom family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Thomas Wincams who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1763; Thomas Winchcombe arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1752.

Sources +

Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print