History of the Surname GROOMS

Submitted by Geneva Grooms Evans.

This history is as it was researched by the Hall of Names Ltd London England

     The history of the most ancient Anglo/Saxon surname of Grooms reaches far into the Chronicles
 of the Saxon race.  The Saxon Chronicle, compiled by monks in the 10th century, now reposes in the 
British Museum.
     History researchers have examined reproductions of such ancient manuscripts asa the Domesday Book
(1086), the Ragman Rolls (1291 - 1296), the Curia Regis Rolls, The Pipe Rolls, the Hearth Rolls, 
Parish registers, baptismals, tax records and other ancient documents.  They found the first record 
of the name Grooms in Suffolk where they were seated from very ancient times, some say well before the 
Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.
     Different spellings were encountered in the research of your surname.  Throughout the centuries your
name, Grooms, occurred in many records, manuscripts and documents, but not alwasy with your exact spelling.
From time to time the surname included the sepllings Groome, Grome, Groom, and these variations in
spelling frequently occurred, even between father and son.  Scribes and church officials, often travelling
great distances, even from other countries, frequently spelt the names phonetically.  As a result the
same person would be recorded diffenrently on birth, baptismal, marriage and death certificates as well as
the other numerous records recording life's events.
     The Saxon race gave birth to many English surnames not the least of which was the surname Grooms.
The Saxon's were invited into England by the ancient Britons of the 4th century.  A fair skinned people
their home was the Rhine Valley, some as far north east as Denmark.  They were led by two brothers,
General/Commanders Hengist and Horsa.  The Saxon's settled in the county of Kent,  on the south east
coast of England.  Gradually, they spread north and westward and during the next four hundred years 
forced the Ancient Briton's back into Wales and Cronwall in the west and cumberland to the north.  The
Angles occupied the eastern coast, the south folk in Suffolk, north folk in Forfolk.  Under Saxon rule
England prospered under a series of High Kings, the last of which was Harold.
     In 1066, the Normans invaded from France and were victorious at the Battle of Hastings.  In 1070, Duke
William took an army of 40,000 north and wasted the northern counties, forcing many rebellious
Norman nobles and Saxon's to flee over the border into Scotland.  Meanwhile thte Saxon's who remained in the
south were not treated well under hostile Norman rule, and they also moved northward to the midlands,
Lancashire and Yorkshire awaay from the Norman oppression.
     Nevertheless, this notable English family name, Grooms, emered as an influential name in the
county of Suffolk where they were recorded as a family of great antiquity seated at Rattlesden with manor 
and estates in that shire.  JOhn Groome held the manor and estates and was recorded in that county.
The family branched to Cambridgeshire and Yorkshire.  Notable amongst the family at this time was
John Groome of Suffolk.
     The surname Grooms flourished during the turbulent middle ages, contributing greatly to the
cultural development of England.  During the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th centuries England was ravaged
by plagues, famine, and religious conflict.  Protestantism, the newly found political fervour of 
Cromwellianism and democratic government, and the remnants of the Roman Church rejected all non
believers, each jealously claiming adherents to their own cause.  The changing rule caused burnings,
hangings, and banishments of all sects and creeds, first one then another.  Many families were freely
"encouraged" to migrate to Ireland or to the "colonies".  Some were rewarded with grants of lands, others 
were banished.
     Some families were forced to migrate to Ireland where they became known as the Adventurers for
land in Ireland.  Protestant settlers "undertook" to keep their faith, being granted lands previously
owned by the Catholic Irish.  There is no evidence that the family name migrated to Ireland, but this 
does not preclude the possibility of their scattered migration to that country.
     The new world offered better opportunities and some migrated voluntarily, some were banished
mostly for religious reasons.  Some left Ireland disillusioned with promises unfulfilled, but many 
left directly from England, their home territories.  Some also moved to the European continent.
     Members of the family name Grooms sailed aboard the huge armada of three masted sailing ships
known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic.  These overcrowded ships such as the Hector, 
the Dove and the Rambler, were pestilence ridden, sometimes 30% to 40% of the passengers list
never reaching their destination, their numbers reduced by dysentery, cholera, small pox and 
typhoid.
     Amongst the first settlers in North America, which could be considered a kinsman of the surname
Grooms, or a variable spelling of that family name was Nicholas Groome.  Ship's Captain, settled
in Mass. in 1630 and wrote a book called "A Glass for the people of the northeast" describing
the people and the coast of New England;  Anne and Charles Groom settled in Maryland in 1739, with
their daughter Mary; Daniel, Edward, George, James, John, Patrick, Roger, Terrence, Thomas and
William Groom, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Samuel Groome settled in New 
England in 1650.
     From the port of entry many settlers made their way west, joining the wagon trains to the
prairies or to the west coast.  During the American War of Independence, many loyalists made
their way north to Canada about 1790, and became known as the United Empire Loyalists.
     Contemporary notables of this surname, Grooms, include many distinguished contributors;
Sir Reginald Groome, Australian; Air Marshall Sir Victor Groome.
     During the course of our research we also determined the many Coat of Arms granted to
different branches of the family name.
The most ancient grant of a Coat of Arms found was:
Ermine with three blue pennants each with a gold cross and on a red stripe at the 
top two knights helmets.
     The Crest was:
      An arm holding a gauntlet.