Cumbo is a very unique sounding name. It stands out from the traditionally Anglo names associated with the first inhabitants of Jamestown. The origins of the name have been highly speculated. Is the name from Portugal? Spain? Italy? Based on what I’ve been able to uncover, the surname Cumbo has origins in Africa as well as Southern Europe.
According to Tim Hashaw in his book, “The Birth of Black America”, the Cumbo surname is associated with Angolans who arrived in Jamestown in the early 17th century. He asserts that Cumbo is possibly derived from Kambol, a royal name of Ndongo. The Kingdom of Ndongo, the possible birthplace of Emanuell Cambow, is the name of a sixteenth century African state located in modern day Angola. It was one of a number of vassal states to Kongo that existed in the region, though Ndongo was the most powerful of these with a king called the Ngola.
Here is a second connection I found linking the name to Angola. While navigating a Google Map of Angola, I was able to locate a village in the north of the country named Cumbo. This could be another potential source of the name.
According to Ancestry.com, the surname Cumbo also has origins in Southern Italy:
Cumbo Name Meaning
Southern Italian (Sicily): nickname from medieval Greek kombos ‘deception’, ‘trick’, or from southern dialect kombo ‘knot’ (from medieval Greek kombos ‘tie’, ‘bond’).
I’m sure there are some people in America who have the last name Cumbo because their family immigrated from Italy over the last 100-150 years. I also believe that many Cumbos in America today have their name because of the Angolans who inhabited Jamestown in the Colonial period of America. Perhaps over generations, family members were told that they were Italian or Portuguese to explain why they had such a unique sounding name, but no one in the family was ever really certain of their family name’s true origins. Over time and generations in America, variations of the surname have expanded to Cumba, Cumbaa, Cumbee, Cumby, Cumbia, Cumboe, Cumbow, Combo, Cumber, even McCumbee. But for many, if you are able to trace far enough back, it likely began as Kambol from the Kingdom of Ndongo.
Another possibility and one needing more research is that the name could be Native American. The Combahee were a sub-tribe of the Cusabo around the Edisto area in South Carolina. A river there still carries the Combahee name (pronounced Cumbee by the locals). During the Tuscarora war in the early 1700s, North Carolina sought help from South Carolina who sent up John Barnwell bringing with him a force of Native Americans from different tribes including the Cusabo also called Corsaboys. These actions could have very well brought the name to the North Hampton area where the Tuscarora resided. This could also explain the many different variations of the name yet sounding similar. It is definatly something to consider as I have yet to find anything definate. The Portuguese slave story though can’t be ruled out but research containing words like possibly, maybe or could be can’t be taken as truth until proven. Thought I’d share my theory with the group.
I’d not come across this theory before. Thanks for sharing Bobby.
Is add her that I have Cumbo family in my family tree. They all were of Native American ancestry. If you looked at me you’d say I was a white man. This whole family tree journey has been an enlightening and sometimes confusing one. This just adds another layer to ponder and think on. I wonder if it is not a both and. Could it have been that escaped slaves intermarried with natives of the the Cumbee?
Thank you, adds more and more mystery to the Cumbo name.
Indeed!
The name Cumbo was originally de Cumbo from Spain this going back 2000 yrs 3 brothers then went to Sicily and name became Cumbo..
Cumbo sicilia
My grandfather, Jerry hatcher cumbo……came to Kentucky from North Carolina. Upon arrival, they registered with the state as Native Americans. The only picture I remember was of my great grandmother, margret cumbo, holding my grandfather in a papoose on her back. I am having all kinds of trouble tracking heritage.
Hi, pleasure to meet you. Here was what i was able to uncover.
Calvin Cumbo and Margaret Webb of Russell, West Virginia were parents of Jerry Hatcher Cumbo
William Frances Cumbo and Sarah Campbell were the parents of Calvin Cumbo
Isaiah Cumbo and Mary Ann Campbell were parents of William Frances Cumbo
William Cumbo (1771-1834) was father of Isaiah Cumbo
I can get about as far back with my line. My 5th great grandfather Britton Cumbo was born between 1776-1794.
Pleasure to meet you and hope this helps!
Best,
Andre
I am researching my ancestor Edward Mozingo in Jamestown, VA Settlement 1644. One of his descendants Joe Mozingo wrote a book of his researching the family name Mozingo. I think would be beneficial to you. Here is an excerpt from an interview:
Interview: Joe Mozingo, Author Of ‘The Fiddler On Pantico Run’: NPR
https://www.npr.org/2012/11/24/…/a-white-face-with-a-forgotten-african-family
Nov 24, 2012 – A White Face With A Forgotten African Family. … Growing up blond-haired and blue-eyed in Southern California, Joe Mozingo always thought his family name was Italian. … Mozingo spoke on weekends on All Thing Considered guest host Jacki Lyden about his first book, The Fiddler on …
Marsha, Thanks for your follow up. Yes I read Joe Mozingo’s book this year and really enjoyed it!
As I have now come to know, my family name of McCumbee has it’s roots in NC. My family happens to be from WVA and I assumed (you know what that made me) that this is where we all started. I have tues to the Lumbee and some Portuguese came up in the family DNA. My 85 year old aunt had Congo, Cameroon, and Southern Bantu in her DNA. I haven’t been able to prom that my GGGrandfather George Henry McCumbee is from the cumby/Combo/McCumbee clan. All I see on the census is Henry and it’s his birth year but can’t prove it.