The Rumbelow Name

Reproduced from Swyrich Corporation - www.houseofnames.com 

The name Rumbelow has an Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the name Rumbald, an Old German personal name.

The name came to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest in 1066, as King William encouraged the immigration of skilled tradesmen and artisans from continental Europe; many of these immigrants coming from Germany.

From time to time the surname Rumbelow appears in records from this period as Rumbold, Rumbald, Rumble, Rumball, and Rumbow. These variations occur commonly between father and son, and even in references to the same person, as at that time spelling rules did not truly exist.

During their early development, the Rumbelow family was found in Hampshire where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated as Lords of the manor of Rumbold and estates in that shire. 

Stephen Rumbold held the manors in the year 1207 as shown by the Rotunda Oblitus et Finibus. By the 13th century they had branched to Ferrand in Yorkshire. Sir Thomas Rumbold was Governor of Madras, his daughter married Frances married into the Hales of Hertfordshire.

Sir William Rumbold married Henrietta Goddard of Berwick Bassett of Wiltshire. They intermarried with many distinguished families of the south of England. Distinguished members of the family include Sir William Rumbold.

Migrants bearing the name Rumbelow, or a variant spelling of this name, include John Rumball who settled in Virginia in 1652, Thomas Rumball who settled in Boston Massachusets in 1635; Edward Rumbow who settled in New England in 1748 and James Rumbelow who settled in Philadephia in 1880.

Contemporary notables of the surname Rumbelow include distinguished contributors such as Air Marshall Sir Aubrey Rumball; Sir Algernon Rumbold and Sir Anthony Rumbold.

Paraphrased inscription from the Rumbelow Coat of Arms certificate received from Swyrich Corporation.

Etymology of Rumbelow

https://www.houseofnames.com/au/rumbelow-family-crest

What does the name Rumbelow mean?

This name came to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest in 1066, as King William encouraged the immigration from continental Europe of skilled tradesmen and artisans; many of these immigrants came from Germany. Saint Rumwold (Rumbold) was a medieval infant saint in England, said to have lived for three days in 662. He is said to have been full of Christian piety despite his young age, and able to speak from the moment of his birth, requested baptism, and delivered a sermon prior to his early death. 

Another Saint Rumbold (Rumold, Romuold) (died 775) was an Irish or Scottish Christian missionary who was martyred near Mechelen by two men, whom he had denounced for their evil ways. St. Rumbold's Cathedral is found in Mechelen, Belgium and it is here that his remains are generally thought to be buried.

One source claims the name was "a Norman family, styled Rimbaud or Rimboult, in the Duchy (See Rimboult), where it continued in the twelfth century. The Norman ancestor of the English and Norman lines was Rumbaldus, who held lauds in Gloucester 1086. Richard I. confirmed to Wickham Abbey, Essex, lands granted by Robert Rumbold. The latter was party to a suit, Essex, 1194, and in 1200 exchanged lands in Hertford. Walter Rembald is mentioned c. 1272. From this family descend the Baronets Rumbold."

Early Origins of the Rumbelow family

The surname Rumbelow was first found in the Domesday Book of 1086 where Rumbaldus is listed in Gloucestershire at that time.  Later, Roger Rumbald was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1191 and in the Pipe Rolls of Cumberland (Cumbria) in 1195. 

In Hampshire, William Rumbol was listed in the Curia Regis Rolls of 1222 and William Rumbolt was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1327.

Rumbold's-Wyke (St. Rumbald), also named Rumboldswyke, a parish in Sussex, in the union of West Hampnett, hundred of Box and Stockbridge, rape of Chichester. St Mary's Church, on Whyke Road, an 11th century church can still be found here and is in good repair.

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 includes listings for: Roger Rumbold, Cambridgeshire; Adam Rumbald, Buckinghamshire; Reynebaud le Paumer, Norfolk; and Rombald Cosin, Oxfordshire.

Rumbelow Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, French and other languages became incorporated into English through the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Rumbelow include Rumbold, Rumbald, Rumble, Rumball, Rumbow and others.

Early Notables of the Rumbelow family

Distinguished members of the family include Richard Rumbold (1622-1685), a Cromwellian soldier who took part in the Rye House Plot to assassinate King Charles II of England.In May 1685 Rumbold joined the Earl of Argyll in his expedition to Scotland. He became separated from the rest of the rebels in their disorderly marches, and was captured. As he was severely wounded, the Scottish government had him tried at once, lest he should escape his punishment by death. 

Origins of the Rumbelow surname

• Simon Rumbelow

• 2015

Hi All,  I see there's still a lot of debate about the origins of our name.  I've added some information that may be of benefit.  The first part of the page is from the Surnames database.  The second part was given to me by someone on one of my career workshops.  It was photocopied from a book, but I don't know its origin. It's always interested me that one of our ancestors could have been responsible for shooting arrows at Robin Hood! - Simon Rumbelow

This curious surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and is a locational name from any of three minor places named with the Olde English pre 7th Century "threom", a derivative of "threo", three, and "hlawum", the dative plural of "hlaw", barrow, tumulus, burial mound; hence, "at the three tumuli". 

These places are the Rumbelow in Aston (Warwickshire); Tremelau Hundred, an ancient land division, also in Warwickshire; and Rumbelow in Wednesfield, Staffordshire. Rumbelow in Aston was recorded as "Thimelowe" in 1334, and as "Rumbelowe" in 1461; Tremelau Hundred appeared as "le Thromelowe" in "Place Names of Warwickshire", dated 1339, and the Staffordshire place was recorded as "Romylowe" in 1420. One Stephen Romylowe was constable of Nottingham Castle in 1347, and his surname appears variously as "de Romylo, de Romylou" and "de Rombylou" in Records of the Borough of Nottingham, dated 1346, 1363 and 1351 respectively. 

It has also been suggested that Rumbellow originated as a nickname for a sailor, as the word was part of early sailors' "Heave-ho" songs: "Your mariners shall synge arow, Heyhow, and rumbylow"; however, more convincing evidence in favour of the locational source has been produced. On February 18th 1863, John Rumbellow and Charlotte Ames were married at St. Matthew's, Bethnal Green, London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Richard de Thrimelowe, which was dated 1334, in "Medieval Records of Warwickshire", during the reign of King Edward 111, known as "The Father of the Navy", 1327 - 1377. 

Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Some time ago, a lady on one of my career workshops who is a genealogist gave me this information (Part of what I presume is a different surname directory.) I have copied it verbatim.

Rumbellow, Rumbelow, Rombulow: Robert Romylowe. Rombilow 1524 SRSf; William Rumbilow, Rumbelow ib.  Bardsley, Harrison and Weekly agree in taking this name as a nickname for a sailor from the meaningless combination of syllables sung as a refrain whilst rowing, an explanation unlikely in itself, as there is no evidence for the name of Rumbelow as a generic name for a sailor, whilst the nickname seems quite unsuited to he first known bearer of the name, Stephen Romylowe, constable of Nottingham Castle in 1347.  

Of ten examples of his surname, only one contains a b (Rombylou 1351 Pat) whilst two, de Romylo (1346 Pat) and De Romylou (1363 NottBR), point clearly to a place name ending in –low.  This must be identical in origin with The Rumbelow in Aston (Warwicks), Rumbelowe 1461, the home of Richard de Thromelowe 1334. 

A second example of the same name is Tremelau Hundred (Warwicks) and a third is Rumbelow in Wednesfield (Staffs), le Thromelowe 1339, Romylowe 1420 (PN Wa 31). All three are from OE aet preom hlawum (Dweller)  “by the three mound or barrows”.  The Suffolk surname probably originated in Suffolk.