This website is for people exploring their Cumbo ancestry.

The first documented Cumbo in the New World was a man named Emanuell Cambow, an Angolan who arrived in Jamestown, VA in the 1600s.  People who can trace their Cumbo ancestry to the Colonial period in America (1607-1763) likely descend from Emanuell. With this said, note that Cumbo was also a fairly common name among slaves in colonial Virginia.  As the Cumbo family grew, so did variations of the name which expanded to Cumba, Cumbaa, Cumbee, Cumby, Cumbia, Cumboe, Cumbow, Combo, Cumber and others. We hope that this website will provide a place for Cumbo descendants to share and learn about our precious family history and ensure that it lives on.

17 Comments

    1. Derrick, Hi, good to meet you. If you share a little more on your Cumbee ancestry leading back to your great great grandmother I’d be happy to try and help. Best, Andre

  2. SORRY THAT I MISS THE CUMBO REUNION, MY GREAT-GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS WILLIAM COMBO AND MY GREAT-GREAT GRANDMOTHER WAS MARTHA NEWSOME, MY GREAT-GRANDFATHER WAS JOHN W. COMBO AND MY GREAT-GRANDMOTHER WAS ANNIE HALL, MY GRANDFATHER WAS JOHNNIE WM. COMBO AND MY GRANDMOTHER WAS ISADORA SMITH THEY WERE ALL FROM COFIELD, NC AND HERTFORD COUNTY

    1. Belinda, Hi, thanks for your note. Yes next time 🙂 I’m a Cumbo through my grandfather and a Hall through my grandmother. I plan on attending the Hall Family Reunion in Ahoskie next weekend. Please let me know if you plan on attending. I’d love to meet you. Best, Andre

  3. Greetings,

    I am Dena Majett, a descendant of Shine Cumbo. My paternal grandmother was Mary Cumbo. Her twin sister was Martha and they were from Rich Square. Unfortunately I could not attend the reunion, but I am grateful for all of the work you have done. I look forward to more of your research.

  5. Hi, pleasure to meet you. A few questions. Where was your grandfather Earl Cumbo Sr. born? Around what year? What was the maiden name of yoru grandmother Bea. This information will help me find more information on him and this Cumbo line. I look forward to hearing back from you. Best, Andre

    1. Does anyone have information on Richard Homer Cumby? He was born in Virginia in the year 1820. He lived in and around the Halifax County, Virginia area. He also lived in Lee County, Virginia at least long enough for two sons to be born in Lee County. He, his wife Nancy Elizabeth Blankenship, and their children eventually made their way through the Cumberland Gap and into middle Tennessee. I have plenty of info on him in Tennessee but pretty much nothing to date on his life in Virginia.

  6. Hi, My name us Shelly and I’m told that I’m a decedent of Elizabeth Cumbo ( aka Cumbee orCumber), Her sons were Frank Jones (My Great Grandfather), Sherman Jones, John Devine Jones, Robert Jones and James Jones of Charles City County, VA. about 25 minutes from Jamestown.

    1. Hi, pleasure to meet you. If you don’t mind, please share what you can about Elizabeth Cumbo – when she was born, died, where she lived, and I’ll see what I can uncover on her. Best, Andre

  7. Hi, I’m Jennifer and I’ve been researching my ancestry on Ancestry.com. Though my DNA is 82% England/Wales/Northwest Europe, 11% Ireland/Scotland 4%, Germanic Europe, 1% Philippines, 1% Baltic States and 1% Native American… I have a part of a Cumby line linking me to John Cumbo, Richard Cumbo and Emanuell Cambow/Cumbo.

    My family from most of my family tree lines have Virginians starting in the 1600s. Especially around the Richmond/Williamsburg areas. A large percent of both side of my family still live in Virginia.

    Can anyone tell me more about the family, especially John Cumbo, Thomas Cumbo and Richard. Thanks!

  8. I had my DNA tested thru Ancestry.com and find tho I am 57% from Scotland, 38% for England, I also have 1% from Cameroo/Congo/Bantu peoples. I also found thru my mother’s family side I traced back to Emmanuel Cambow. The Cambow family became McCumbee and Cumbee. My mother told me she knew of some McCumby’s in her family. I am very interested to find out more about my connection. I am proud to be a descendant of Emmanuel Cambow and am doing all the research I can to learn more. I found a book, The Birth of Black America: The First African Americans and the Pursuit of Freedom at Jamestown, that I am ordering to learn more. I also want to thank you for your site and all the work you have put into research.

  9. I am Mary Cumbo Ampey great grandaughter. Mary married Isom Ampey and had seven childern in Michigan. There first child Alice who was my great grandmother. Mary and Isom rasised Alice’s only child my grandmother Hilda. Hilda Jones (Whaling) was Mary’s first grandchild. Mary Cumbo rasied her in Gobles, Michigan.
    Mary Cumbo was mid-wife for the African American who come to Indiana and Michigan in the 1800’s. As a child Hilda would travel with grandmother Mary when she would delivered babies. Later, on in life people would have my grandmother verify their birth because a lot times there would be no birth certificate.
    The infromation I have on Hillard Cumbo’s family:
    Mary Cumbo (Isom Ampey) 1844-1939, Louisa Cumbo (Benjamin Bolden) 1849-1919, Maggie Cumbo (Walter Butler)1850, Devilley Cumbo (Mary Harrison) 1854-1903, Eliza child Ora Bell Cumbo 1858, Tempa Cumbo (Charles Washington)1863-1904, and Sarah William Cross 1868-1927.
    Hillard may have been married twice Sarah Mitchell (m1859) and Sally Meacham (???). Some of the Cumbo’s are buried in Kalamazoo,Mi
    The Cumbos, Ampeys and Jones (my grandmothers father’s people) came from Virginia and North Caroline. Most of these people were free person of color.

  10. I been searching for my entire family by that’s impossible so i came across the Cumbo family tree and realize i was related to the Cumbo.
    We all share a grandmother by the name of Elizabeth ” Betsy” France Walden (Walden). she had 8 children, out of her eight Artensia Hortensa Cumb Walden her daughter had a Son by the name of Jordon Cumbo who had a son name William Samuel Cumbo right. how we related is
    Elizabeth had another daugther by the name of Rosa Manley Guy (walden) who had a daughter name Emma Mae Lassiter who had a daughter name Ada Virginia Lassiter (Green) who had a daughter name Shirley Mae Kelley who had had a daugther name Valarie and val had me …. you can contact me on facebook Stef Bl

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