Bill Crant

Excerpt from Dr. Seary's, Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, MUN 1977.

COOMB(E)S, surnames of England, from one of the many places named Co(o)mb(e), 9 in Somerset, 6 in Devon and elsewhere, or from Old English cumb - (dweller in a) small valley. (Reaney, Cottle).

Guppy traced Coomb(e)s in Dorset, Hampshire, Somerset and Wiltshire, Combes also in Wiltshire, and Coombe in Devon.

In Newfoundland:

Family traditions: Alexander Coombs, from Kent, settled at Upper Island Cove in the early l9th century (MUN Folklore). Bill (1830-1902), born at shaftesbury (Dorset), settled at Belleoram about 1850 and at Terrenceville in 1854 (MUN Geog.). William, was one of the first settlers at Black Duck Cove (St. Barbe district) in the early l9th century (MUN Hist.).

Early instances: Richard Cooms, of Brigus (unspecified), 1676 (CO 1); ------ Come, of Quidi Vidi, 1703 (CO 194.3); Peter, of St. John's, 1706 (CO 194.22); Ann Combs, of Trinity (Trinity B.), 1773 (DPHW 64); John Coombes, of Upper Island Cove, 1781 (CO 199.18); Thomas Coomb, of Bonavista, 1791 (USPG); Elias Coombs, of Bay Bulls, 1793 (USPG); George Coombes, of Port de Grave, 1800 (CO 199.18); Robert Coomb(e)s, of Fogo, 1803 (D'Alberti 13); William Coombs, enlisted at Greenspond, 1806-07 (CO 194.46); Robert, cooper of Burnt Head (Carbonear), 1827 (DPHW 48); John Coombes, of Pool's Harbour (Burin), 1829 (DPHW 109); Charles, of Furby's Cove, 1834 (DPHW 109); John Coombs, Combs or Comes, of Rings Cove Parish, 1835 (Nfld. Archives KCRC); John Coomb, of Harbour Grace Parish, 1841 (Nfld. Archives HGRC); John Combs, of Round Harbour, 1846 (DPHW 86); Edward Coombs, fisherman of Picaria (now Piccaire), 1854 (DPHW 101); Jane Coombes, of Fortune, 1855 (DPHW 106); Shadrach Coombs, of Upper Burgeo, 1855 (DPHW 101); Maria, of Harbour Grace, 1867 (Nfld. Archives HGRC); David, fisherman of Burin, 1871 (Lovell); George, of Cupids, 1871 (Lovell); John Combs, fisherman of Heart's Desire, 1871 (Lovell); Stephen Coombs, fisherman of Crocker's Cove (Carbonear), 1871 (Lovell); S. Coomes, fisherman of La Plante (Burgeo), 1871 (Lovell).

Modern status: Coombes, rare, at St. John's; Coombs, widespread, especially at Upper Island Cove, Shoal Cove West, Portugal Cove South, St. John's, Heart's Desire and Terrenceville.

Place names: Coombe Rock 50-47 57-18; Coombes Head' ----- Islands 47-37 57-40; ----- Rock 47-43 54-02; Coomb's Cove 47-27 55-37.

Early Instances: