This surname is derived from a nickname. 'turn-bull'. There can be little doubt about the origin of this name. Two great clan nicknames grew up in Liddesdale and the 'Debateable Land,' the Armstrongs and Turnbulls, both significant of that prowess which was so necessary in the times of Scotch and English raids across the border. To turn the bull at the baiting would be an exploit worthy a sobriquet in those rude times, and the possessor would be proud to bear it. The idea that this name is local must be given up. Trumble is a corruption of Turnbull. not Turnbull of Trumble. The earliest form is Turnebull.

Johannes Turnebull, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

In the same record we find a similar nickname, that of Turnbuck.

Alicia Turnebuk, 1379: Poll Tax of Yorkshire.

The New York form Trumbull is met with in the 15th century:

David Trumbull or Turnbull, 1494: The History of Liddesdale and the Debatable Land.

George Trumbull or Turnbull, 1404-5: ibid.

Jock Trumble, 1544: ibid.

Wat Trombull, 1562: ibid.

1707 Baptised — James, son of William Trumbal: St. Thomas the Apostle (London).

For other variants, v. Tremble and Trimble.

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 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 (Willelmo dicto turnebule) (RMS., I, 22). Sometime during his reign David II granted the lands of Humdallwalschop (now Hundleshope) in the barony of Mener to John Trumble (RMS., I, App. II, 917), and c. 1354 Walter Tornebole was witness to a charter by Adam de Roule of the lands of Altonburn (HMC., 14. Rep., App., pt. 3, p. 8). Patrick Turnbull was bailie of Edinburgh, 1388 (ER., III, p. 197), Thomas Tornebule was one of the borowis for the earl of Douglas's bounds on the Middle March, 1398 (Bain, IV, 510), and John Tournebulle, nicknamed "out with swerd," 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, IV, 1062), and William Trubul ( perhaps for Trubul = Trumbul) was canon of Glasgow, 1452 (REG., p. 395). Maister Jhone Trimbill was vicar of Cleigh (Cleish), 1507 (RD., p. 361), and in the same year Stephen Tournebulle was procurator of the Scottish 'nation' in the University of Orleans (SHSM., II, p. 96). Thomas Trumble appears in Dunfermline, 1586 (Dunfermline). John Trumble in Edinburgh, 1649 (Inquis., 3578), and John Trimble in Clunie, 1725 (Dunkeld). Mark Turnbull was provost of Jedburgh, 1561 (ER., XIX, p. 178), and Mathow Trumble was bailie in Glasgow, 1609 (RUG., III, p. 561). The Turnbulls were among the most turbulent of the Border clans as attested by the frequency of their name in Pitcairn's Criminal trials. The earliest Turnbull 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, II, p. 50), and "les Tournebulle de Champagne portent d'azure à trois têtes de buffle" (Larchey, p. 466). William Paterson Turnbull (1830-1871), American ornithologist, was born in Fala, Midlothian, and Frederick Turnbull (1847-1909), born 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. Dumbule 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, Turnble 1669, Turnebile 1553, Turneble 1646, Turnebule 1528, Turnebulle and Turnbul 1390, Turnibul 1485. See also Tremblay.

(English) a nickname of courage and strength, Turn-the-Bull [from Old English turnian, to turn + bul-] The well - known incident of King Robert Bruce being saved from the fury of one of the white bulls in Stirling Park is recounted in Bellenden’s (16th cent.) translation of Boece’s ‘Scotorum Hist.’-— It is said, King Robert Bruce, eftir his coronatioun, went to ane hunting in this wod, havand bot ane quiet cumpanie with him, and eschapit narowlie of his leif; for ane of the bullis, eftir that he wes sair woundit be the huntaris, ruschit feirs- lie on the king, howbeit he had na wapinnis in his hand to debait himself fra the dint thairof. Incontinent, ane man of gret spreit, quhilk wes standing neir by, lap afore the king; and nocht allanerlie [only] kest the bull be manifest force to the erd, bot held him, quhill the remanent huntaris slew him with thair wappinnis. This man that rescoursit the king wes callit Turnbull, and wes rewardit with riche landis be the king.

Cp. the French Tournebœuf [French bœuf (Latin bos, bovis), an ox, bull].

France has also Tournebulle—Les Tournebulle de Champagne portent d'azur à trois têtes de buffle.—Larchey, p. 466.

(1) “Cattle Drover” in Old French (Turnbeove). (2) “Top of a Hill” in Gaelic. (3) “Three Bulls” in Coat of Arms.

(Scottish) Descendant of Trumbald (strong, bold).

Probably local. A tradition has, however, been made to fit the name. It seems that king Robert Bruce, being once upon a time in Stirling park, was attacked by a ferocious bull. A brave fellow, called Ruel, came to the rescue; turned the bull; and got not only the king's thanks, but the lands of Bedrule, and a new surname. It appears certain, however, that a champion of great stature called Turnbull fought under king David Bruce, at the battle of Halidon, and was killed there. Nisbet's Heraldry. The analogous name Chacelyon is found in Essex, temp. Hen. VI. Knatchbull may also belong to this class.

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 Turnbull." 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.

This name had its origin in some feat of personal strength or courage. There is the following tradition of its origin: A strong man of the name of Ruel, having turned a wild bull by the head, which violently ran against Ring Robert Bruce in Stirling Park, received from the king the lands of Bedrule, and the name of Turnbull.

This name is said to be local, and that of Trumbull a corruption. It is also connected with an anecdote about a ferocious bull. The Biog. Univ., under Turnèbe, says his father, a Scottish gentleman, called himself Turnbull; that his name was replaced in French by that of Tournebœuf, and Toumbou, which in Latin became Turnebus, and in French Turnèbe. If the original name was Trumbull, it was probably derived from some place in Scotland or Ireland, compounded of the Gaelic druim, droma (Ir. druim, W. trwm), the top of a hill, a ridge (Carlisle, drum, drom, a knoll, ridge, eminence), and Anglo-Saxon bold, a dwelling. Drum, drom are very common in local names in Ireland, and there are drums as well as bagpipes in Scotland. It is however possible that the English name may be derived from the Continental name. In an article contained in the Mémoires of the Roy. Soc. of N. Antiquarians, entitled Orthographie de quelques noms nordiques, I find that Caldebekkr became Caudebec, Langibyr Longbu, and Tournebyr Tournebu. These names would seem to be from the Ice. byr, Su. -Goth. bo, a dwelling; and Tournebu might mean the ' tower-dwelling.' From this root we probably have many French names compounded of beuf, bœuf. Among others are Belbeuf, Belbœuf, Brébeuf, Chabeuf or Chabeu (Chabot? ), Cordebœuf, De Marbœuf, Poinbœuf, Porcabœuf, Quilbœuf. compare the French local names Cordebœuf, Coulibœuf, Criquebœuf, Elbeuf, Elbœuf (L. Elbovium), and Quillebœuf, anciently Quilebeuf.

For Tornebu, or Turnebu, a baronial name. Simon, Thomas, Amauri de Turnebu, Normandy 1180-95 (Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae). The heir of Amauri de Turnebu is mentioned in Hants 1202 (Rotulus Cancellarii). Tournebu was a barony near Falaise. William de Turnebu accompanied the Conqueror 1066 (MSAN, 1867, p. 181, &c.). King John granted to Geoffry de Neville, Chereberge, Dorset, which had belonged to Richard Tornebue (Testa, 163). The Barony of Tornebu held by Thomas de T. 1165 consisted of twenty fees (Feod. Norm. ap. Duchesne).

(Scotch), Turn bull. Given to one who turned a bull as the animal was attacking King Robert Bruce, from whom there is said to be a charter to “Willielmo dicto Turnbull.” The name of these gay Moss-troopers, who belonged to the Middle Marches, was generally pronounced Trumbull.

From the Dutch, Turngebouw (?); a personal name.

Numerous as the Turnbulls are still in Northumberland, they are yet better represented across the border in Roxburghshire, especially in the Hawick district; and the name is also well established in the county of Durham. Turnbull was the name of a champion of great stature, who was killed at the battle of Halidon, where he fought under David Bruce (L.).