Turnbull Family Tree research resources

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Did you know that in the 1881 UK census there were 12623 people with the Turnbull surname? In that year Turnbull was ranked number 320 for popularity in the UK.

"The first of this family is said to have been a strong man named Ruel, who turned a wild bull by the head, which had violently ran against Robert Bruce in Stirling Park; for which act he received from that king the lands of Bedrule, and the name of Turnbull. He is called in the charter " Willielmo dicto Turn- bull." At the battle of Halidonhill, this Ruel advanced before the Scotch army with a great dog, and challenged any of the English to fight with him a combat. Sir Robert Venal, a Norfolk man, fought and killed him and his dog too. The descendants of Ruel bore a bull's head in their arms (modernly three bull's heads), in allusion to the feat from which their name originated. "_{(The origin and signification of Scottish surnames. Clifford Stanley Sims, 1862)}

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"TURNBULL. This is one of the many Scottish family names for which popular etymology of an early date has supplied a romantic origin. According to tradition the name is derived from a man named Rule who saved the life of King Robert the Bruce by 'turning' a ferocious bull which had threatened to gore the king. For this timely service Rule obtained a grant of the lands of Bedrule and a new name. Hector Boece (1526), to whom we are indebted for a number of picturesque tales relating to our early history, appears to have been the authority for the bull-baiting story. Doubtless like many other similar tales, says Ewen, "the story is made to fit the name rather than the reverse" (p. 226-227). Notwithstanding the spelling of 1315 the name is probably from Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Trumbald, 'strongly bold,' and in Teviotdale it is commonly pronounced Trumell or Trummell. In 1315 Robert i granted a charter of land in the west of Fulhophalche (now Philiphaugh) to William called Turnebule (WUlelmo dicto turnebule) (RMS., i, 22). Sometime during his reign David n granted the lands of Humdallwalschop (now Hundleshope) in the barony of Mener to John Trumble (RMS., i, App. n, 917), and c. 1354 Walter Tornebole was witness to a charter by Adam de Roule of the lands of Altonbum (HMC., 14. Rep., App., pt. 3, p. 8). Patrick Turnbull was bailie of Edinburgh, 1388 (ER., in, p. 197), Thomas Tornebule was one of the borowis for the earl of Douglas's bounds on the Middle March, 1398 (Bain, rv, 510), and John Tournebulle, nicknamed "out with sword," was a Scots prisoner of war in England, 1400 (ibid., 565). Thomas Turnbule witnessed a charter of the lands of Drumgrey in 1408 (Annandale, I, p. 12). William Turnbul was 'cubicular' of his holiness the Pope, 1433 (Bain, rv, 1062), and William Trubul (perhaps for Trubul = Trumbul) was canon of Glasgow, 1452 (REG., p. 395). Maister Jhone Trimbffl was vicar of Cleigh (Cleish), 1507 (RD., p. 361), and in the same year Stephen Tourneoulle was procurator of the Scottish 'nation' in the University of Orleans (SHSM., n, p. 96). Thomas Trumble appears in Dunfermline, 1586 (Dunfermline), John Trumble in Edinburgh, 1649 (Inquis., 3578), and John Trimble in Clunie, 1725 (Dunkeld). Mark Tumbull was provost of Jedburgh, 1561 (ER., xrx, p. 178), and Mathow Trumble was bailie in Glasgow, 1609 (RUG., m, p. 561). The Tumbulls were among the most turbulent of the Border clans as attested by the frequency of their name in Pitcaim's Criminal trials. The earliest Tumbull arms, those of Agnes Trombel, 1497, are: Ermine, three bars, the center bar being charged with a star flanked by two ermine spots (Macdonald, 2792). William Trumbul in Dalkeith, 1603, bears a bull's head erased (ibid., 2793), but that is possibly canting arms. Persons of the name settled in France bore argent, three bulls' heads, couped sable, armed and langued gules, but the Tournebu or Turnebu family in Normandy, who have been claimed as of Scottish origin, had for arms argent, a bend azure. In Berry a family of Tourneboeuf bore, azure, three bulls' heads (Stodart, n, p. 50), and "les Tournebulle de Champagne portent d'azure a trois tetes de buffle (Larchey, p. 466). William Paterson Tumbull (1830-1871), American ornithologist, was bom in Fala, Midlothian, and Frederick Turnbull (1847-1909), bom in Glasgow, introduced turkey-red dveing into the United States. The name of William Turnbull, bishop of Glasgow (1448-54) also appears as Turnbol and Trumbil. Durnbule 1423 (in papal doc.), Trimbulle 1531, Trombill c. 1570, Tromboul 1547, Troumbull 1510, Trumbell 1654, Trumbill 1567, Trumbyll 1544, Trumpbill 1556, Trymbille 1367, Turmbill 1550, Turnbill 1608, Tumble 1669, Turnebile 1553, Tumeble 1646, Turnebule 1528, Turnebulle and Tumbul 1390, Tumibul 1485. See also TREMBIAY. "_{(The surnames of Scotland. George Fraser Black, 1866-1948)}

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