Surname Tumby - Meaning and Origin
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Tumby: What does the surname Tumby mean?
The surname Tumby is of English origin and is derived from the Old English given name Tumba. This name is thought to mean “one who is bold”. It is thought to be either a nickname or a metonymic occupational name, referring to a person who is particularly bold and brash; or a topographical name for someone who lived near a hill or lump of land that was particularly steep and difficult to traverse.
The earliest record of the name appears to be in 1185 when Roger de Tubba was noted in the “Feet of Fines” for the county of Surrey, England. This name appears to have evolved over the centuries to Tumby, with variations of the spelling seen in the 16th and 17th centuries such as Thompby, Tumba and Tompey. The modern-day spellings appear to have stabilised during the 18th century.
Today Tumby is not a particularly common surname and is mainly confined to certain parts of England. There are, however, small populations of the name in other countries, such as the United States and Australia.
Whilst the surname may be a proud reminder of an ancestor’s bravery and boldness, it is also worth noting that its Anglicised spelling can be referred to as a play on words – “Tumby” can also be used to mean “tumbling” or “falling”, with its humour lying in the reference to a seemingly bold and brave person being innocently clumsy.
Order DNA origin analysisTumby: Where does the name Tumby come from?
The last name Tumby is not a very common name, but can be found all over the world. The United States is one of the countries where the name is most common. Tumby is a surname that originated in England, derived from the Old English word for a small hill or tumulus. It is likely the original bearer lived near such an elevation. The name has been found mainly in the counties of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, and Nottinghamshire. The name can also be found in Ireland, especially in Ulster around counties such as Armagh and Antrim.
In the United States, Tumby is found primarily in the Midwest, especially in Missouri, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Outside the United States, the name is also found in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and South Africa.
Tumbys can be found scattered throughout social media, particularly in the United States and England. Research also finds regular appearances of the Tumby name in the legal, medical, and military fields. In addition, the name appears in academia, frequently in music and other related professions. Finally, the name is a popular surname among families in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Variations of the surname Tumby
The surname Tumby is a locational name derived from the Old Norse word tumbi, meaning ‘plot of land’. Over the centuries, this name has been spelled in a variety of ways, with variants including Tumbe, Tumbie, Tumbee, Thumby, Toomby, and Toombs.
In more recent years, the Tumby surname has been used as an adopted surname among individuals with more common surnames such as Thompson and Thomson. As such, common surnames of similar origin include Tombs, Tumble, and Toombs.
In the United States, the Tumby name has been spelled in a variety of ways, including Tumbie, Tumbee, Tombee, Thumby, Tombey, Toombs, Tombaugh, Toombs, and Tumby. Other spelling variations have been documented, such as Tamber and Tumbi.
The Tumby surname can also be found in Canada, Scotland, and England. In Scotland, the surname has been spelled Tumbie, Tumbee, and Toombe, while in England the spelling has been documented as Tumby, Tumer, Tombs, and Tumber.
The Tumby family has a long history, having been traced back to the early 11th century when the Doomsday Book was drafted listing individuals with the name. This list included a number of individuals bearing the Tumby name, including Ulf Earl of Tumber. This show the wide geographic distribution of the Tumby surname and its various documented spellings over the centuries.
Famous people with the name Tumby
- Tony Tumby: NBC Sports broadcaster
- Perry Tumby: professional Australian rugby league footballer
- Mari Tumby: children's and young adult author
- Samuel Tumby: British trade union organiser
- Freya Tumby: British television presenter
- John Tumby: former Chief Constable of Oxfordshire
- Mike Tumby: former English cricketer
- Lyal Tumby: Australian rules footballer
- Francis Tumby: former Welsh international rugby league footballer
- John Tumby: civil engineer, chief of the San Francisco Fire Department