Show ContentsGarman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Ancestry of the Garman name lies with the Norman Conquest of England. This Norman name was used for a person of German descent, or a person who was associated with that country through trade or other means. Another derivation of the name suggests that it derives from the Old French given name Germain. This name was borne by a popular French saint from the 5th century, and also meant of the same stock, or related to.

Germanus (378?-448), was "Bishop of Auxerre, and missionary to Britain, son of noble parents whose names are given as Rusticus and Germanilla, was born at Auxerre about 378, and after attending schools in Gaul went to study at Rome. " 1

Garman is a classic example of an polygenetic surname, which is a surname that was developed in a number of different locations and adopted by various families independently.

Early Origins of the Garman family

The surname Garman was first found in Essex where Jerman filius Willelmi was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1248. 2 However, Germanus was earlier listed in the Domesday Book of 1086. 3

Early History of the Garman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Garman research. Another 141 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1066, 1086, 1248, 1250, 1279, 1318, 1377, 1397, 1402, 1650, 1680, 1718, 1738 and 1769 are included under the topic Early Garman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Garman Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled German, Germans, Jermain, Jarman and others.

Early Notables of the Garman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Robert German (died 1402), English politician, Member (MP) of the Parliament of England for Nottingham from 1377 to 1397.Sir John Germain, 1st Baronet (1650-1718), was a British soldier and politician, thought to have been an illegitimate half-brother of William III of England. "His mother, who was very handsome, is stated to have been that prince's mistress, and Germain is said to have assumed 'as his seal and armorial bearing' a red cross, implying pretensions to exalted...
Another 84 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Garman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Garman Ranking

In the United States, the name Garman is the 5,407th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 4

Ireland Migration of the Garman family to Ireland

Some of the Garman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Garman migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Garman or a variant listed above:

Garman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Garman, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1811 5
  • John Garman, aged 26, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1850 5
  • George Garman, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 5
  • Bernard Garman, aged 17, who immigrated to the United States, in 1895
  • Briget Garman, aged 20, who landed in America from Dingle, in 1898
Garman Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Albert Garman, aged 4, who landed in America from London, England, in 1912
  • George G. Garman, aged 30, who immigrated to America from London, England, in 1912
  • Annie Garman, aged 29, who landed in America from London, England, in 1912
  • Harriet Garman, aged 60, who landed in America, in 1920
  • Charles H Garman, aged 26, who settled in America, in 1922
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Canada Garman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Garman Settlers in Canada in the 20th Century
  • Frank Garman, aged 41, who immigrated to Ottawa, Canada, in 1911

Contemporary Notables of the name Garman (post 1700) +

  • Samuel Walton Garman (1843-1927), American naturalist and zoologist from Pennsylvania
  • Michael Douglas "Mike" Garman (b. 1949), American former Major League Baseball relief pitcher who played from 1969 to 1978
  • Judi Garman (b. 1944), American former head softball coach at Cal State Fullerton from 1980 to 1999
  • Private Harold A Garman, American soldier who was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
  • John R. "Jack" Garman (1944-2016), American NASA engineer who was a key figure during the Apollo 11 lunar landing
  • Ralph Garman (b. 1974), American actor, best known as the host of The Joe Schmo Show
  • Theodore Garman (1924-1954), known as Theo, an English painter, son of Kitty Garman
  • Lorna Cecilia Garman Wishart (1911-2000), the youngest of the Garman sisters, members of the bohemian Bloomsbury set in London
  • Kathleen Esther Garman (1901-1979), Lady Epstein, third eldest of the Garman sisters, members of the bohemian Bloomsbury set in London, mother of Kitty Garman, the first wife of Lucian Freud
  • Mary Margaret Garman Campbell (1898-1979), eldest member of the Garman sisters, members of the bohemian Bloomsbury set in London
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Victor G Garman (b. 1919), English Leading Stoker serving for the Royal Navy from Brighton, Sussex, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 6


Suggested Readings for the name Garman +

  • The Family of Samuel Garman in America: A Genealogical History by Leo H. Garman.
  • The Family of Johannes Germann (John Garman) in America: A Genealogical History by Leo H. Garman.

  1. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  4. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  5. 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)
  6. H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm


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