Rumpf History

There appears to be a lot of information on the name Rumpf on the internet and lots of places where they will sell it to you. Here's some freebies:



The associated coat of arms for this name are recorded in J.B Rietstaps Armorial General. Illustrated by V & H.V Rolland's. This Monumental work took 23 years to complete and 85,000 coats of Arms are included in this work. This surname RUMPF was of the nickname group of names, literally meaning 'one with a large rump'. The name was derived from the Old English word RUMPE, and survives to this day in Norfolk. Surnames having a derivation from nicknames form the broadest and most miscellaneous class of surnames, encompassing many different types of origin. The most typical classes refer adjectivally to the general physical aspect of the person concerned, or to his character. Many nicknames refer to a man's size or height, while others make reference to a favoured article of clothing or style of dress. Many surnames derived from the names of animals and birds. In the Middle Ages ideas were held about the characters of other living creatures, based on observation, and these associations were reflected and reinforced by large bodies of folk tales featuring animals behaving as humans. Other spellings of the name include RUMPE, RUMPES and RUMPS. The earliest of the name on record appears to be Thurstan Robert Rumpe, who was recorded in 1095 in County Suffolk, and Edward Rumpe appears in Norfolk in the year 1170. Geoffrey filius Rumphar was documented in County York in 1273, and Casse Rump of Cumberland appears in the same year. Robert Rumpe of Cawston, County Norfolk was mentioned in the year 1521. The rise of surnames, according to the accepted theory, was due to the Norman Conquest of 1066. It is often assumed that men 'adopted' their surnames. Some certainly did, but the individual himself had no need for a label to distinguish him from his fellows. The development of the feudal system made it essential that the king should know exactly what service each knight owed. Payments to and by the exchequer required that debtors and creditors should be particularized. Monasteries drew up surveys and extents with details of tenants of all classes in their services. Any description which identified the man was satisfactory, his father's name, the name of his land, or a nickname known to be his. The upper classes mostly illiterate, were those with whom the officials were chiefly concerned and among them surnames first became numerous and hereditary.