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Osmond History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Osmond History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Today's generation of the Osmond family bears a name that was brought to England by the migration wave that was started by the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Osmond family lived in Dorset. The name, however, is a reference to Osmandville, on the River Bire in Bessin, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066. 1

Osmund (fl. 758), the "King of the South-Saxons, is said by Florence of Worcester to have been reigning in 758, at which time the South-Saxons were subject to Wessex, having been subdued by Caedwalla (659?-689) in 686. With the names of other South Saxon kings, under-kings, or ealdormen, the name of Osmund appears in late copies of charters preserved in the register of the church of Chichester." 2

Osmund (fl. 803), Bishop of London, "succeeded bishop Heathobert, who died in 801, and was probably consecrated by Archbishop Æthelheard on his return from Rome in 802." 2

Saint Osmund or Osmer (d. 1099), Bishop of Salisbury, was, "according to a fifteenth-century document preserved in the Register B at Salisbury, son of Henry, count of Seez, by Isabella, daughter of Robert, Duke of Normandy, and sister of William the Conqueror. He accompanied William to England, was one of the royal chaplains, and was eventually made chancellor, probably on the promotion of Osbern or Osbert (d. 1103) to be Bishop of Exeter in March 1072. " 2

Early Origins of the Osmond family

The surname Osmond was first found in Dorset at Melbury Osmond, a village and civil parish in the union of Beaminster, hundred of Yetminster 3 that dates back to 1283 when it was first listed as Melebur Osmund. "Melbury" roughly means "multi-coloured fortified place" from the Old English "maele" + burh." 4 Hence collectively the place name meant "fortified place of a man called Osmund." 4 Little is known about the place name other than the parish church, St. Osmund's was thought to have been built before 1550. It was completely rebuilt in 1745. 3

Used both as a surname and forename, early Gloucestershire records show Osemundus clericus (the cleric) there in 1222. Roger Hosemund was listed in the Feet of Fines for Northumberland in 1199 and Robert Osemund was found in Norfolk in 1221. 5

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 prove the widespread use of the name by this time: John de Osemundeston Norfolk; Geoffrey Osmund, Devon; and Nicholas Osemund, Surrey. Later the Writs of Parliament recorded Richard Osmund, Middlesex, 1313; and John Osmond, Hertfordshire., 1315. 6

In neighbouring Devon, the variants Osmer, Hosmer and Usmar claim ancestry back to the Domesday Book of 1086 where they were collectively recorded as Osmar and Osmer. 7 These variants derived their names from the Old English word meaning "god-fame," whereas the former names derived their name from the Old English word for "god-protector." 5 Early records include William Osmere who was listed in the Pipe Rolls for Devon in 1230 and later, Osmer ater Dune in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296. The last entry was as a forename and in this case, it was derived from an the Anglo-Saxon personal name. 8

One source claims "Osmœr was the name of the English soldier whose head, when he was killed by Eadric at the battle of Sceorstan (A.D. 1016), was boastingly paraded as that of King Eadmund, whom Osmær was said to closely resemble." 9

Early History of the Osmond family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Osmond research. Another 146 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1555, 1603, 1649, 1658, 1660, 1663 and 1788 are included under the topic Early Osmond History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Osmond Spelling Variations

Before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago, spelling variations of names were a common occurrence. Elements of Latin, Norman French and other languages became incorporated into English throughout the Middle Ages, and name spellings changed even among the literate. The variations of the surname Osmond include Osmond, Osmund, Osmont, Osmonde, Osmand, Osman, Ozment, Ozmond, Hosmer, Usmar and many more.

Early Notables of the Osmond family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Thomas Osmond who was burnt for heresy, June 15th, 1555 in Manningtree, Essex...

Osmond World Ranking

In the United States, the name Osmond is the 12,551^st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 10 However, in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Osmond is ranked the 41^st most popular surname with an estimated 524 people with that name. 11

Osmond migration to the United States +

In England at this time, the uncertainty of the political and religious environment of the time caused many families to board ships for distant British colonies in the hopes of finding land and opportunity, and escaping persecution. The voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, though, and many arrived in North America sick, starved, and destitute. Those who did make it, however, were greeted with greater opportunities and freedoms that they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make important contributions to the young nations in which they settled. Early immigration records have shown some of the first Osmonds to arrive on North American shores:

Osmond Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Gillian Osmond, who arrived in Maryland in 1670 12

Osmond Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

John Osmond, who settled in Maryland in 1749
Lewis Osmond, who settled in Philadelphia in 1793

Osmond Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Herman Aarag Osmond, who landed in Ohio in 1836 12
Edmund Osmond, who was living in Ohio in 1855
William Osmond, who arrived in Arkansas in 1887 12

Osmond migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Osmond Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

David Osmond, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1793

Osmond migration to Australia +

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

Osmond Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Osmond, (b. 1771), aged 44, English seaman who was convicted in Middlesex, England for life for theft with violence, transported aboard the "Baring" in April 1815, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 13
Mr. James Osmond, (b. 1813), aged 26, English ploughman who was convicted in Somerset, England for 14 years for manslaughter, transported aboard the "Canton" on 20th September 1839, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 14
Robert Osmond, who arrived in Sydney aboard the ship "Madawaska" in 1849 15
John Osmond, aged 32, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1853 aboard the ship "William Stuart" 16
Isabella Osmond, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Storm Cloud"

Osmond migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Osmond Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Miss Osmond, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Kingston" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 29th December 1858 17

Contemporary Notables of the name Osmond (post 1700) +

Kenneth Charles "Ken" Osmond (1943-2020), American child actor, best known for his as Eddie Haskell on the 1950s television situation comedy Leave It to Beaver
Aaron Osmond, American politician, Member of the Utah Senate
JoAnn D. Osmond, American former politician, Member of the Illinois House of Representatives (2002-2014)
Cliff Osmond (1937-2012), born Clifford Osman Ebrahim, an American character actor and television screenwriter best known for his roles in films directed by Billy Wilder
George Virl Osmond (1917-2007), American patriarch of the Osmond singing family
Olive May Osmond (1925-2004), American matriarch of the Osmond singing family
Melvin Wayne Osmond (b. 1951), American musician, member of the family musical group The Osmonds
James Arthur "Jimmy" Osmond (b. 1963), American singer, actor, and businessman, member of the family musical group The Osmonds
Alan Ralph Osmond (b. 1949), American musician, member of the family musical group The Osmonds
Olive Marie Osmond (b. 1959), American singer, actress, doll designer, member of The Osmonds
... (Another 17 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Osmond family +

USS Arizona

Mr. Robert H. Osmond, American Fire Control man Third Class working aboard the ship "USS Arizona" when she sunk during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7th December 1941, he survived the sinking 18

Citations +

The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
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)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th December 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/canton
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) "MADAWASKA" 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Madawaska.htm
South Australian Register Friday 15 July 1853. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) William Stuart 1853. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/williamstuart1853.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Pearl Harbour: USS Arizona Casualties List Pearl Harbour December 7, 1941. (Retrieved 2018, July 31st). Retrieved from http://pearl-harbor.com/arizona/casualtylist.html