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![Show Contents]() Kirkmen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The saga of the name Kirkmen follows a line reaching back through history to the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for someone who worked as a churchwarden; the custodian of a church. Further research revealed that the name is derived from the Old Norman word kirkja, which meant church, and man, the Old English word for man. The original bearers of the name were responsible for taking care of the buildings and grounds of the local church, which was an honored occupation. The name is primarily found in the north of England, where the Old Norman language had a great impact due to the waves of immigration from Scandinavia in the 9th and 10th centuries. Norman is a contraction of Norsemen; we call them the Vikings. While they came for rapine and pillage, many of them stayed to raise families. There are many names in the north of England that show the influence of these settlers on the English language. Early Origins of the Kirkmen familyThe surname Kirkmen was first found in Yorkshire where they held a family seat from medieval times. Early History of the Kirkmen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Kirkmen research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1230, 1259, 1270, 1273, 1379, 1662 and 1674 are included under the topic Early Kirkmen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Kirkmen Spelling VariationsBefore the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Kirkmen were recorded, including Kirkman, Kirkeman, Kerman, Churchman, Kyrkman, Kyrkeman and many more. Early Notables of the Kirkmen familyAnother 47 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Kirkmen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Kirkmen familyTo escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Kirkmen family emigrate to North America: Sarah Kirkman who arrived in America in 1772; Elizabeth who sailed to America in 1775; James Kirkman, who came to Philadelphia in 1803; Henry Kirkman, who arrived in Baltimore in 1823 and William Kirkman, who came to Philadelphia in 1844..
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