Illman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The history of the Illman family goes back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It is derived from the family living on or near a hill. Further research showed the name was derived from the Old English words hyll, which meant hill. Combined the name means "dweller on the hill."

Early Origins of the Illman family

The surname Illman was first found in Hampshire where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Early History of the Illman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Illman research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1273 and 1327 are included under the topic Early Illman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Illman Spelling Variations

Until quite recently, the English language has lacked a definite system of spelling rules. Consequently, Anglo-Saxon surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. Changes in Anglo-Saxon names were influenced by the evolution of the English language, as it incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other languages. Although Medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, so it is common to find one person referred to by several different spellings of his surname, even the most literate people varied the spelling of their own names. Variations of the name Illman include Hillman, Hilman, Hilleman and others.

Early Notables of the Illman family

Notables of the family at this time include

John Hillman of Yorkshire

Illman migration to the United States +

Searching for a better life, many English families migrated to British colonies. Unfortunately, the majority of them traveled 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 ocean. For those families that arrived safely, modest prosperity was attainable, and many went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the new colonies. Research into the origins of individual families in North America revealed records of the immigration of a number of people bearing the name Illman or a variant listed above:

Illman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

George Illman, who arrived in America in 1801-1802 1
Thomas Illman, who landed in New York, NY in 1833 1

Illman migration to Australia +

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

Illman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

John Illman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 2
Sophia Caroline Illman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 2
Mary Ann Illman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 2
George Illman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 2
Sophia Illman, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Illman (post 1700) +

Sally Kate Illman (b. 1969), birth name of Sally Kate Bercow, English wife of the current Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow

Citations +

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)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CLEVELAND 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Cleveland.htm