Family Name Explained

There are a number of theories relating to the origin of the name COBBOLD. Here are a few of them.

COBBOLD English (chiefly E Anglia): from the Middle English personal name Cutebald, Cubald, Old English Cudbeald, composed of the elements cud famous, well known + beald bold, brave. Variations: COBBALD, COBBETT. Copyright: Oxford University Press

COBBOLD Anglo-Saxon from ‘God be Old’

COBBOLD from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, originally Snow White and the Seven Kobolds, being small people, perhaps miners from the Black Forest in Bavaria. The name Kobold is common in Germany, particularly an umbrella manufacturer. It’s only just across the North Sea from Suffolk.

COBBOLD: This ancient and distinguished surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin, and derives from the Olde English pre 7th Century male name “Cuthbeald” composed of the elements “cuth”, famous, renowned, and “beald”, bold, brave. One Cotebaldus de Wigornia was noted in Records of Dublin, dated 1200, indicating that the medieval forms of the personal name included: Cotebald, Cutebald and Cubald. The surname has the distinction of being first recorded in the Domesday Book (below), and further early examples include: Ricardus Cubaldus (Herefordshire, 1174); John Cubald (Lincolnshire, 1219); and John Cobald (Suffolk, 1309). Surnames derived from given names are the oldest and most pervasive surname type, and in vernacular naming traditions (as distinct from religious), names were originally composed of vocabulary elements of the local language, and no doubt, bestowed for their auspicious connotations. The surname is now most widespread in East Anglia and is variously spelt: Cob(b)old and Cob(b)ald. On August 13th 1546, William, son of John Cobbold, was christened at Burstall, Suffolk. A Coat of Arms granted to the Cobbold family of Ipswich is a gold shield with a black chevron between three green Holly leaves, on a chief of the second a lion passant guardant between two silver fleurs-de-lis, the Crest being a gold lion passant guardant, and the Motto, “Rebus angustis fortis”, translates as “Brave in adversity”. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Aluuinus Cubold, which was dated 1086, in the Domesday Book of Northamptonshire, during the reign of King William 1, known as “William the Conqueror”, 1066-1087. 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.

Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980-2006

Family Crests Explained

 

The Armorial Bearings of Philip William Hope-Cobbold of Glemham Hall co.Suffolk, gentleman, sometime Major 13/18th Royal Hussars (Q.M.O)

 

Arms

Sable and chevron or between in chief two bezants and in base a lion passant guardant gold on chief dancetty of the last teo ducal coronts azure.

Crest

A lion statant guardant argent crowned with a ducal coronet azure supporting with the dexter paw an escutcheon vert thereon three escutcheons also argent each having a bordure engrailed or.

Supporters

On either side a yellow labrador dog proper each resting the interior hind foot on a battering ram fessewise the head inward also proper headed and garnished azure.

Motto

Rebus Angustis Fortis meaning Strong in Adversity

Lord Cobbold loved his two Yellow Labradors and chose to have them included in his Coat of Arms when he was enobled. They appear with him and his wife in the Edward Halliday 1956 portrait which hangs at the top of the stairs at Knebworth.

The family’s classical scholar (G B Cobbold 1936 —) says that he suspects an error has crept into the motto. He claims the first word should be spelled with double i thus Angustiis.

This Coat of Arms appears above the name Cobbold, but without a motto in the genealogical table of the Cobbold family published in the souvenir of the Bi-centenary of the Cliff Brewery, Ipswich by Cobbold & Co. in 1923. Also shown in the souvenir are the Arms of the families of Dunmore (Murray), Chevallier, Patteson, Dupuis and Dixon.

It is not known when it was first used but it is likely to have been many years before 1923. It is beautifully embroidered onto a pair of Trumpet Banners at Glemham Hall, this time with the motto Rebus Angustis Fortis.

It appeared in the form of a stained glass window (now in the trusts collection and pictured above right) in the home of the Rev. R F Cobbold, (1857 - 1945) Farlingaye Hall, Woodbridge around 1930 this time with the motto Repugno which simply means 'I Fight Back'. R F Cobbold's son, G F Cobbold (1906 – 1883) always thought that in view of the Holly leaves it should be translated as 'I Prick Back'.

This Coat of Arms was used (in this instance as a bookplate) by Robert Knipe Cobbold (1792 – 1859). He was the eldest son of John Cobbold (1746 – 1835) by his second wife Elizabeth Knipe (1766 – 1824). Arms were granted to Christopher Knipe by Sir W Segar, Garter on 10th November 1616. Robert Knipe Cobbold inherited the Knipe arms but only assumed them quartered with his own. The other half being those of his wife's family Smith.

It is interesting to see that the motto was Repungo which is probably 'old' Latin for "I Prick Back" (an obvious reference to the holly leaves) which was later modernised and strengthened to Repugno "I Fight Back".