Jacombs

This unusual surname, recorded in English Church Registers from the mid 16th Century under the variant spellings Jacom, Jacam, Jacum, Jacham, Jackam and Jocham, has two distinct possible sources, each with its own history and derivation. Firstly, Jacomb may be of locational origin from some minor, or now "lost" place believed to have been in the Leicestershire/Warwickshire area because of the high incidence of early surname ecordings from those counties. The initial element of the placename remains obscure, but may be the Olde English pre 7th Century "geoc", a measure of land, or the Olde English "geac", cuckoo, with "cumb", a coomb, deep hollow, or narrow valley. On September 10th 1584, Edward, son of Marmaduke Jacam, was christened at Nuneaton, Warwickshire, and on August 28th 1614, Robert Jacomb married Amye Tilton, at Blaby, Leicestershire. The second (though less likely) possibility is that the surname derives from the male given name Joachim, itself coming from the Hebrew "Yoyakim", "Jehovah will establish". This name, according to medieval legend, was borne by the father of the Virgin Mary, and though recorded in England from the 13th Century, its use has not been widespread. A Coat of Arms granted to the Jacomb family of Leicestershire in 1672 is a shield divided per chevron azure and ermine with two lions' heads erased argent, in chief, the Crest being a hand holding two branches of palm in orle proper. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of William Jacombe, which was dated November 6th 1565, marriage to Elizabeth Cooke, at Aylestone, Leicestershire, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. 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.