Gribble Origins

My father, when asked where his ancestors originated, would often reply Redruth or Truro in Cornwall. When questioned further he would laugh and suggest Cornish smugglers and before that somewhere from over the English Channel. I suspect neither he or nor his peers really knew. Research undertaken for this project shows clearly his family came from Illogan in Cornwall at least back to 1794 and most likely as far back as 1694. But where might they have come from before this earliest date?

A pair who have conducted extensive research into Gribble origins are Jules and Michael Gribble who author and own the Gribble One Name Web Site. This site is well worth visiting and I do not intend to reproduce their findings. Suffice it to say they seem to believe all Gribbles with an ancestral UK link derive from an original Devon Gribble the earliest one on record being one 'Walter atte Gribbel'. However they were surprised to discover in Australia the large (in Gribble terms) Gribble population descended from the Illogan and Redruth districts Gribble mining population of the 19th century.

I have not been able to establish where these Illogan mining Gribbles came from. Some tantalising clues were uncovered which suggest to me at least that Jules and Michael's Devon Gribbles may not account for all Gribbles. In fact Jules and Michael point out on their web site some other possible Gribble origins.

Cornish Antecedents
What About Devon?
Other Possibilities
What Now?