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'An Tolmach'

Welcome to 'An Tolmach' or 'The Tolmie' - a blog about this ancient and intriguing Scottish Tolmie/Tolme sept.

tolme/tolmie transits to southern england

7/6/2021

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Some emerging research has yielded the possibility of the Tolmie surname in southern parts of England in the 16th Century (during the mid-late 1500’s).
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It is known and evidenced in multiple records that Tolme/ Tolmies migrated to southern England in the 1700’s.

Initial research around the Tolme/ Tolmie sept has identified possible anglicised variants of the same surname including - Tollmes, Tawlmie, Talmye, Tallmye, Talmie in the mid-late 1500’s.

The origins of these surnames have yet to be confirmed as a derivative of the Tolme/Tolmie name, but phonetically are similar as would be expected of anglicised spellings of Scottish surnames at this time. More research will hopefully reveal these probable connections or not. 

The areas where these names connect with include;
  • Margate (Kent)
  • Stopham, Pullborough, Arundel, & Lyminster (Sussex)
  • Bassingthorpe, Barnewll, Mareham le fen (Lincolnshire)
  • Sparham (Norfolk)

In the interest of robust critique - an exploration of other ‘Tol’ or ‘Tul’ sounding names in the same time period in Sussex and Norfolk identified the surnames Tylman, Tylaman, Tilman, Tillman; and Tnyley, or Tilney. None which connect either phonetically or etymologically with Tolme/ Tolmie. The surname Tollemache was identified – but again the historical record is clear that again this name has no connection etymologically to the Tolme/Tolmie name.

Some of the earliest names recorded in Southern England are;
  • a death record for John Tolmye – d.1544 North Waltham, Norfolk, England
  • a birth record for John Talmy – b.1557 Fittleworth, Sussex, England
  • a birth record for Edward Talme/ Talmy – b.1558 Egden, Fittleworth, Sussex, England
  • a death record for John Talmye/ Talmey – d.1586 Pullborough, Sussex, England
  • a death record for Robert Tolmes  - d.1592, Bassingthorpe, Lincolnshire, England
  • a death record for Thomas Tylome – d. 1599 Sparham, Norfolk, England

The records also go onto show several successive generations as would be expected. Phonetically the names above appear to bear association with Tolme and Tolmie.
  • Tol-mye [Tol-mie]
  • Tal-mye [Tal-mie]
  • Tal-mey [Tal-mie]
  • Ty-lo-me [To-lo-mie]
  • Tal-me  [Tal-mie] or [Tolme]
  • Tolmes [Tolmes] or [Tol-mies]
  • Toll-mes [Tol-mies]

Whether and how these names may connect with earliest Tolmie/ Tolme names recently discovered in Inverness and Edinburgh and mentioned in the previous blog is yet to be made known.  

So, what might this mean for our current understanding of the origins of the Tolme/ Tolmie sept?
  1. This earlier than thought migration could again confirm the possibility of an earlier progeny or line of the Tolme/ Tolmie sept?
  2. It might challenge (or help) with our ideas around the ‘dates’ of those early MacLeod Tolmie progeny?
  3. Or the surname variants mentioned above bear no connection to the Tolme/Tolmie name​
For information found on these southern England variants click on the link below ​
talmey research here
As with research any historical context and record there exist many gaps. Triangulating different records and contexts can help assist in confirming ideas and reducing assumptions. 
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As always – your thoughts, considerations, and ideas are warmly welcomed
An Tolmach

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new 15th CENTURY tolmie discoveries...

1/6/2021

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Greetings and welcome to An Tolmach (The Tolmie) a blog about this ancient and intriguing sept of Clan MacLeod. 

Some intriguing news - we have discovered an earlier Tolme (a Robert Tolme) recorded in the Protocol books of John Foular (Fowler) 1501-1503 of Edinburgh. Protocol books were a Scottish book or register written by a clerk or lawyer recording legal transactions as it was as a legal requirement at the time. Not many have survived. There are some others written by John Foular over a similar time period that have yet to be researched.

This record of Robert Tolme predates the known progenitor of the sept John Tolmach MacRory MacLeod mentioned in records and texts c.1610 - by some 100+ years. After feuds and conflicts with Clan MacKenzie, these MacLeod Tolmie's from which this John is connected to, were thought to have eventually migrated east from Gairloch and Western Scotland across to Inverness in the 1700's.

Given this new discovery of Robert Tolme who lived in the mid to late 1400's - and more recently two other Tolme's from the early-mid 1500's (a James Tolme of Inverness & a John Tolme of Edinburgh) more research and consideration needs to be given to the possibility of an earlier line of Tolme/Tolmie's. How this newer line of Tolme's  connect with the MacLeod Tolmie's is yet to be discovered.

The records also tell us of a large number of Tolme/Tolmie recorded in Inverness and surrounds from the late 1500's, as well as a few surviving records from Edinburgh at this same time. All of which reflect some new possibilities - including;
  1. An earlier migration and settlement of the 'MacLeod Tolmie's' across and throughout southern Scotland, or;
  2. An earlier line of Tolme/Tolmie's that predates the considered be progenitor John Tolmach MacRory MacLeod. 
  3. Or equally, that this earlier Tolme is not connected to the Tolme/ Tolmie sept. ​
For more information on these early Tolme/ Tolmies, click on the button/link below
early tolme/Tolmies
As we uncover more - well keep you updated. Your thoughts, ideas, and comments are appreciated. An Tolmach!
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