Turnbull Family Crest, Coat of Arms & Turnbull Name Origin

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Origin of the Name Turnbull

The Turnbull family history was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The name Turnbull is of Scottish origin and arose from a nickname for a man thought to be brave and strong enough to turn back a charging bull. Variants inclue Turnball and Turnbill. William of Rule was awarded lands for saving the life of Robert Bruce, and was thereafter known as Turnebull. The territory of the Turnbulls was a baronial possession of the House of Douglas, and by 1510 they had become so dismayed of the authority of James IV that he decided to make an example, and 200 members of the family appeared before him wearing linen sheets, with swords, and halters around their neck, with some being hanged or imprisoned. After this many of the Turnbulls left the borderd. Turnbull castles were Barnshill, and Bedrule, the latter being destroyed by the English in 1545. They owned great estates in Philiphaugh for 300 years but lost them to the Murrays. In Ireland the name Turnbull is usually of immigrant origin having been brought into Ulster Province by settlers.