From the mid-tenth century to the early eleventh, Bamburgh and the surrounding region (the former Bernicia), the northern part of the old Kingdom of Northumbria, was ruled by a series of high-reeves (or high-reeves, from Old English heah-gerefa) and ealdormen (Latin duces, Old English eorl, modern English earl). Several of these men ruled all Northumbria.
- Eadwulf (died 913), said to have ruled Bamburgh as "reeve" by Æthelweard
- Osulf I (floruit 946–54), ruled all Northumbria
- Eadwulf Evil-child (floruit 973)
- Waltheof I (floruit 994)
- Northman (floruit 994)
- Uhtred (1006–16), ruled all Northumbria
- Eadwulf Cudel (died 1019)
- Ealdred II (died 1038)
- Eadwulf III (died 1041)
- Bernicia united to the rest of Northumbria during this period (1041–65).
- Osulf II (1065–67)
- Copsi (1067)
- Gospatric (1067–72), perhaps ruled all Northumbria