Show ContentsChristmas History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Christmas family

The surname Christmas was first found in Austria, where the name became noted for its many branches in the region, each house acquiring a status and influence which was envied by the princes of the region. In their later history the name became a power unto themselves and were elevated to the ranks of nobility as they grew into this most influential family.

Early History of the Christmas family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Christmas research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1491, 1554, 1613, 1752, 1770, 1773, 1783, 1790, 1817 and 1837 are included under the topic Early Christmas History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Christmas Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Christman, Christmann, Cristman, Cristmann and many more.

Early Notables of the Christmas family

During this period prominent bearers of the name Christmas were Jakob Christmann (1554-1613), a German Orientalist from Johannisberg (Rheingau), who also studied problems of astronomy. Franz Xavier Christmann was a secular priest, eminent organ-builder, date and place of birth unknown. He worked chiefly in Upper and Lower Austria and in Styria. His name first appears in connection with a monster organ at the monastery of St. Florian, near Linz, begun in 1770, but left unfinished in consequence of a quarrel with the provost. The fame of this organ spread far and wide, though it was not completed till 1837. He also...
Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Christmas Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Christmas Ranking

In the United States, the name Christmas is the 4,757th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 1


United States Christmas migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Christmas Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Dictoris Christmas, who arrived in Virginia in 1635 2
  • Isobel Christmas who settled in Virginia in 1642
  • Richard Christmas, who settled in Virginia in 1647
Christmas Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • H. Christmas arrived with his wife and two children in New York in 1820

Australia Christmas migration to Australia +

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

Christmas Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Thomas Christmas, (Spicer), British Convict who was convicted in London, England for life, transported aboard the "Coromandel" on 4th December 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1811 3
  • Mr. Robert Christmas, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 13th July 1822, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 4
  • John Christmas, aged 42, a mason, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Punjab"
  • Maria Christmas, aged 16, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Punjab"
  • John Christmas, aged 18, a farm labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Carnatic"

New Zealand Christmas 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:

Christmas Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • W Christmas, who landed in Kaipoia, New Zealand in 1840
  • Frederick Christmas, aged 38, a carpenter, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
  • Elizabeth Ann Christmas, aged 38, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
  • Samuel Frederick Christmas, aged 14, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
  • Harry Christmas, aged 12, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Reiherstieg" in 1864
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Christmas (post 1700) +

  • William Christmas, American politician, Member of North Carolina State Senate from Franklin County, 1792-93 5
  • Randall Norton Christmas (1920-1969), American politician, Mayor of Miami, Florida, 1955-57; Defeated, 1957 5
  • Barbara Christmas, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Georgia 1st District, 1992 5
  • Dr. William W. Christmas (1895-1960), American aviation pioneer and designer of the Christmas Bullet aircraft, later known as the Cantilever Aero Bullet
  • Dionte Lamont Christmas (b. 1986), American professional NBA basketball player
  • Major-General John Kay Christmas (1895-1962), American Assistant Chief of Ordnance (1945) 6
  • John Christmas, American lacrosse player for the University of Virginia
  • Stephen Christmas (1947-1993), English-born, Canadian first patient diagnosed to have Christmas disease (Haemophilia B) in 1952, he later died of AIDS from transfusions
  • Ernest William Christmas (1863-1918), Australian painter, elected to the British Royal British Academy in 1909
  • Edwin Cecil Russell Christmas (1886-1916), English amateur footballer who played twice for Southampton in 1912
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Air New Zealand Flight 901
  • Mr. Hugh Francis Christmas (1921-1979), New Zealander passenger, from New Plymouth, North Island, New Zealand aboard the Air New Zealand Flight 901 for an Antarctic sightseeing flight when it flew into Mount Erebus; he died in the crash 7
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Raymond William Christmas, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 8
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. H. Christmas (d. 1912), aged 33, English Assistant Saloon Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 9


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/coromandel-and-experiment
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
  5. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 25) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  6. Generals of World War II. (Retrieved 2011, November 3) John Christmas. Retrieved from http://generals.dk/general/Christmas/John_Kay/USA.html
  7. Mount Erebus, Memorial, Roll of Remembrance (Retrieved 2018, February 21st). Retrieved from http://www.erebus.co.nz/memorialandawards/rollofremembrance.aspx
  8. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  9. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


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