Bump History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Bump

What does the name Bump mean?

The name Bump is part of the ancient legacy of the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. Bump was a name used for a swift walker. Originally the name Bump was from the Old French expression bon pas 1 which meant good pace, or good passage. 2 The surname was first found in England soon after the Norman Conquest of 1066.

Not all of the family emigrated to England as the source Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae, includes entries for Reginald, Robert, William de Boneboz who held lands in Normandy in 1198. There the name originated in Boneboz, Normandy which was held by the Earls of Mellent. 3

Early Origins of the Bump family

The surname Bump was first found in Gloucestershire, where William Bonpas was recorded in the Pipe Rolls of 1175. 1 Gilbert de Besant was a benefactor to Dunstable Priory. 3

Early History of the Bump family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Bump research. Another 57 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1175, 1616, 1628, 1629 and 1670 are included under the topic Early Bump History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Bump Spelling Variations

Until the dictionary, an invention of only the last few hundred years, the English language lacked any comprehensive system of spelling rules. Consequently, spelling variations in names are frequently found in early Anglo-Saxon and later Anglo-Norman documents. One person's name was often spelled several different ways over a lifetime. The recorded variations of Bump include Bumpus, Bonpas, Bumpasse, Bompase, Bumpuss, Bumpusse and many more.

Early Notables of the Bump family

Notables of this surname at this time include:

Thomas Bumpus, a prominent 17th century property owner in London

Bump Ranking

In the United States, the name Bump is the 6,982^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Bump migration to the United States +

Thousands of English families boarded ships sailing to the New World in the hope of escaping the unrest found in England at this time. Although the search for opportunity and freedom from persecution abroad took the lives of many because of the cramped conditions and unsanitary nature of the vessels, the opportunity perceived in the growing colonies of North America beckoned. Many of the settlers who survived the journey went on to make important contributions to the transplanted cultures of their adopted countries. The Bump were among these contributors, for they have been located in early North American records:

Bump Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Charles W. Bump, aged 20, who immigrated to the United States, in 1892
Mary Bump, aged 19, who immigrated to America from Southport, in 1892
Philip Bump, aged 18, who landed in America, in 1896

Bump Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mrs. O. W. Bump, aged 51, who landed in America, in 1908
Mrs. Ethalaide Bump, aged 45, who immigrated to the United States, in 1910
Ose W. Bump, aged 36, who settled in America, in 1911
Mrs. E. L. Bump, aged 40, who landed in America, in 1911
Ethalaide Bump, aged 66, who landed in America, in 1913
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Bump (post 1700) +

Nathan Louis "Nate" Bump (b. 1976), American Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Florida Marlins (2003-2005)
Osborne E. Bump, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Broome County, 1859 5

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 3) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html