Garmston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Following the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, the name Garmston was first found in Britina. It was a name 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

Garmston 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 Garmston family

The surname Garmston 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 Garmston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Garmston 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 Garmston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Garmston 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 Garmston 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 Garmston include German, Germans, Jermain, Jarman and others.

Early Notables of the Garmston 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 Garmston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Garmston family to Ireland

Some of the Garmston 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.

Garmston migration to Australia +

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

Garmston Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Garmston who was convicted in Bristol, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Circassian" on 4th November 1832, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 4

Citations +

Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 8th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/circassian