Spackman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Spackman is one of the many names that the Normans brought with them when they conquered England in 1066. The name Spackman came from the Norman given name Espec.

Early Origins of the Spackman family

The surname Spackman was first found in Lancashire where a Norman noble Le Espec was an under tenant of Roger de Poitou, and was granted the lands of Speke outside Liverpool in Lancashire. Soon after the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086, a descendant, Richard Le Espec acquired the manors of Wenworthy and Brampton Speke in the county of Devon, 1 which he held from Robert Fitzroy of Oakhampton. His descendent, William Le Espec married and acquired the estates of Gervois.

Walter Espec (d. 1153), was founder of Rievaulx Abbey, Yorkshire, and was probably the son of William Spech, who in 1085 held Warden, Bedfordshire, where some fifty years later Walter Espec founded and endowed an Abbey. "Espec's chief property was in Yorkshire, and he resided at Helmsley. Under Henry I he was Justice of the Forests and Itinerant Justice in the northern counties. Under Stephen he actively resisted the Scotch invasion. On 10 Jan. 1138 FitzDuncan failed in a night attack on Espec's castle of Wark. Then King David and his son Henry came up and formed a regular siege for three weeks, after which the main body passed on to Harry Northumberland. Three months later (c. 8 May) the garrison swooped down upon the Scotch king's commissariat, and had to submit to a second siege. The castle was stoutly defended by Walter's nephew, John de Bussey, but had to surrender about 11 Nov. " 2

Early History of the Spackman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spackman research. Another 107 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1592, 1653, 1661, 1675, 1681 and 1683 are included under the topic Early Spackman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spackman Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Spackman are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Spackman include Speak, Speck, Speake, Speke and others.

Early Notables of the Spackman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Sir John Speke of Whitelackington; and Sir Hugh Speke, 1st Baronet of Hasilbury, Wiltshire (died 1661), an English politician who sat...
Another 28 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Spackman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spackman migration to the United States +

Faced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Spackman, or a variant listed above:

Spackman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Rich Spackman, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 3
Richard Spackman, who landed in Virginia in 1637 3

Spackman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Spackman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Spackman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Phoebe" in 1846 4

Spackman migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Spackman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

George Spackman, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1840 aboard the ship Bolton
George Spackman, aged 19, a farm labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Sarah Spackman, aged 22, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Bolton" in 1840
Sarah Spackman, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Rooparell" in 1874
Charles Spackman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maraval" in 1880

Contemporary Notables of the name Spackman (post 1700) +

William Mode Spackman (1905-1990), American writer
Samuel Spackman, American politician, U.S. Consul in Cologne, 1884 5
Henry S. Spackman, American politician, Member of Pennsylvania State Senate 1st District, 1839-44 5
Grant Lawrence Spackman (b. 1921), English recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross
Charles Edward Spackman VC , MM (1891-1969), English recipient of the Victoria Cross
Nigel James Spackman (b. 1960), English football manager and former player
F. G. Spackman, British Olympic football gold medalist
Kerry Spackman (b. 1956), New Zealand neuroscientist
Samantha Spackman (b. 1991), Australian footballer

Citations +

Shirley, Evelyn Philip, The Noble and Gentle Men of England; The Arms and Descents. Westminster: John Bower Nichols and Sons, 1866, Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) PHEOBE/PHOEBE 1845. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1846Phoebe.htm
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 23) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html