Turnbull Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Turnbull last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Turnbull last name
Meaning of the Turnbull last name: "turn the bull", a nickname for strength. Turnbull is a Scottish surname from the Borders, a nickname meaning "turn the bull", for a man of great strength. The last name is linked with Roxburghshire. Legend says a man saved King Robert the Bruce from a charging bull and was named for it.
Arms associated with the Turnbull name
Heraldry uses few colours, so a coat of arms associated with the Turnbull surname reads at a distance.
Get your full Turnbull family history
This is only a glimpse of the Turnbull story. The full Turnbull history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Turnbull coat of arms. Get the full Turnbull report.
Turnbull name FAQ
What does the Turnbull name mean?
"turn the bull", a nickname for strength. Common variants include Trumble, Turnbul.
Where does the Turnbull surname come from?
It originates in Scotland, and is also found in the United States, Australia and Canada.
Is there a Turnbull coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Turnbull coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: George F. Black, The Surnames of Scotland (New York Public Library, 1946); Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).