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This ancient Scottish name has its origins in a "Caimbeul", meaning "wry (or crooked) mouth", from "dam", bent or crooked, and "beul", mouth. That it was originally a nickname can be seen by a of 1447, which records Duncan Cambeli, the first Lord Campbell, the "le" being the Scottish "lie", meaning "so called", or "known as". A sizeable group of early European surnames were gradually created from the habitual use of nicknames. These were given in the first instance with reference to occupation, or to a variety of characteristics, such as physical attributes or peculiarities, mental and moral characteristics, supposed resemblance to an animal's or bird's appearance or disposition, or to habits of dress. tradition has it, that the Campbells were originally known as "Clana Duibhne" or "O'Duine", from one Diarmid O'Duine of Lochow. About 1390, Duncan Campbell a charter by Duncan, Earl of Levenax, and is believed to be the first to introduce a "p" into the name, influenced by the erroneous theory that "Cam(p)bell" comes from the "de Campobello" i.e., "of the beautiful plain".

List Ancestral records for:- Campbell

Campbell is the family name of the Dukes of Argyll, dating from 1445, and their is described thus: "Quarterly, first and fourth, gyronny of eight and , the being a boar's head gold". The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Gillespic Cambel, which was dated 1263, in the " Rolls of Scotland", during the reign of King Alexander 111 of Scotland, 1249 - 1286. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as . Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing of the original spelling.
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