General Notes

[scary.ged]
Various authorities give two derivations of the surname Macomber, and both may be correct. There may be a Scotch as well as an English origin for the name. Scotch authorities state that Macomber is a variation in spelling of McCumber of McComber, and perhaps McComb. The English derivation is a place name--May-combe (an old word for valley). In spite of tradition, it has been established that John and William Macomber were English, not Scotch, and that they hailed from Devonshire, England, coming to Massachusetts with other settlers from that section of England. Some descendants have altered the spelling to McComber on account of the sound of the name. The family has been found in Exeter and vicinity in Devonshire. Three brothers came to America: William, mentioned below; Thomas, of Plymouth, 1643, left no descendants; John, of Taunton, 1643, whose descendants are given in a recent genealogy by Stackpole, with those of William.
Source:  New England Families Genealogical and Memorial: Third Series, Volume III, P. 1602,  William Richard Cutter


[From the working files of David Porter of Mountain View, CA]