Gillmand History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Among these were the ancestors of the Gillmand family, whose name comes from the baptismal name Gilmyn. Gillman indicated that the bearer was the son of (or descended from) someone named Gilmyn. The name is of Norman origin, and was brought to England in the wake of the conquest after the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Early Origins of the Gillmand family

The surname Gillmand was first found in Norfolk where they held a family seat from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Gillmand family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Gillmand research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Gillmand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Gillmand 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 Gillman, Gilman and others.

Early Notables of the Gillmand family

More information is included under the topic Early Gillmand Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gillmand family to Ireland

Some of the Gillmand family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Gillmand family

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 Gillmand or a variant listed above: Edward Gillman of Norfolk who settled in Hingham in 1638 with his wife, three servants, three sons and two daughters; Thomas Gillman, who came to Virginia in 1680.