Show ContentsHorsman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Anglo-Saxons of Britain first developed the name Horsman. It was a name given to someone who was a mounted warrior, rider, groom, or horse-dealer. The surname Horsman is derived from the Old English words hors, which means horse, and mann, which means man or servant. 1

Early Origins of the Horsman family

The surname Horsman was first found in Warwickshire where Hugh le Horsman was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1226-1227. The Subsidy Rolls for Worcester included John le Horsman there in 1327 and later in Yorkshire, William Horsman was listed there in 1415. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had three listings for the family: Agnes le Horseman, Buckinghamshire; Robert le Horsman, Oxfordshire; and Walter Horsman, Huntingdonshire. 3

Early History of the Horsman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horsman research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1536, 1589, 1593, 1597, 1601, 1604, 1610 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Horsman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horsman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Horsman have been found, including Horsman, Horseman and others.

Early Notables of the Horsman family

Notables of the family at this time include

  • Thomas Horsman (c.1536-1610), an English politician, Member of the Parliament of England for Grantham in 1593, 1597, 1601 and 1604
  • Nicholas Horsman (fl. 1689), was an English divine, stated to have been born in Devonshire and to have been the son of a minister. 4


United States Horsman migration to the United States +

Families began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Among the first immigrants of the name Horsman, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were:

Horsman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • William Horsman, who landed in Virginia in 1658 5
  • John Horsman, who landed in Virginia in 1665 5
  • Marmaduke Horsman, who landed in New Jersey in 1677 5
  • Thomas Horsman, who landed in Maryland in 1677 5
Horsman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Peter Horsman, aged 2, who arrived in Baltimore, Maryland in 1818 5
  • Thomas Horsman, aged 25, who arrived in New York in 1854 5

Canada Horsman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Horsman Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Christopher Horsman, who settled in Fort Cumberland Nova Scotia in 1775
  • Christopher Horsman, aged 27, who arrived in Fort Cumberland, Nova Scotia in 1775

Australia Horsman migration to Australia +

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

Horsman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Horsman, English convict who was convicted in West Riding, Yorkshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Emperor Alexander"on 6th April 1833, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 6
  • Ann Horsman, aged 18, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Aliquis"

Contemporary Notables of the name Horsman (post 1700) +

  • Duane D. Horsman (1937-1991), American middleweight professional boxer from Minnesota
  • Eric Horsman Ph.D., American research scientist in geology at the University of Wisconsin, Madison
  • Bill Horsman, American corporate and editorial photographer
  • Frederick "Fred" Horsman (1889-1959), English professional footballer who played from 1910 to 1928
  • William "Bill" Horsman (1908-1982), English professional footballer who played from 1928 to 1939
  • Edward Horsman PC (1807-1876), British politician, Chief Secretary for Ireland (1855-1857), son of William Horsman of Stirling, who died 22 March 1845, aged 86 7
  • Bill Horsman, British silver and bronze medalist slalom canoer in the 1990s
  • John Whitmore "Jack" Horsman (1888-1976), Canadian farmer and politician who represented Wilkie from 1948 to 1964 in the Legislative Assembly of Saskatchewan
  • Vincent Stanley Joseph Horsman (b. 1967), Canadian retired Major League Baseball left-handed relief pitcher who played from 1991 to 1995, inducted into the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame in 2012
  • James "Jim" Deverell Horsman CM, AOE (1935-1979), Canadian former provincial politician, Minister of Advanced Education and Manpower (1979-1982), Minister of Federal and Intergovernmental Affairs (1979-1982), Attorney General (1986-1992), Deputy Premier (1989-1992)
  • ... (Another 3 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Hood
  • Mr. Lawrence Horsman (b. 1913), English Leading Cook (S) serving for the Royal Navy from Leeds, Yorkshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 8


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  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. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th April 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/emperor-alexander
  7. Wikisource contributors. "Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900." Wikisource . Wikisource , 4 Jun. 2018. Web. 7 August 2020
  8. 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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