Show ContentsPateman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The name Pateman is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It is a name for someone who worked as a boatman. The surname Pateman is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word bat, which means a boat. 1 In some cases, the name is also derived from the Old English word bate, which means one who contends, but this word is most often found as the root of the name Bater.

Early Origins of the Pateman family

The surname Pateman was first found in Herefordshire at Shobdon, a parish, in-the union of Leominster, hundred of Stretford. "The living is a rectory, valued in the king's books at £5. 7. 11.; net income, £764; patron, Lord Bateman. The church, which is the burial-place of the Bateman family, was partially rebuilt in 1757, by John, Viscount Bateman. The rent of several acres of land, and the proceeds of some minor benefactions, are distributed among the poor. " 2

Old Hutton in Westmorland was another family seat. "Bleaze Hall, for several centuries the seat of the Batemans, was a large and elegant mansion, which still retains traces of its former consequence in a fine oak-wainscoted room, dated 1624." 2

One of the first records of the family was William Bateman (1298?-1355), "Bishop of Norwich, who is also called, from his birthplace, William of Norwich. His father was one of the principal citizens of Norwich, having no less than eleven times filled the office of bailiff of the city (Norwich had no mayor till 1403), of which he sat as the representative in the parliament of 1326-1327." 3

Early History of the Pateman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Pateman research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1298, 1355, 1480, 1560, 1573, 1584, 1626, 1644, 1663, 1687 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Pateman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Pateman Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Pateman are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Pateman include: Bateman, Batman, Bademan, Badman, Pateman, Padman, Pademan and many more.

Early Notables of the Pateman family

Notables of this surname at this time include: William Bateman (c.1298-1355), Bishop of Norwich and founder of Trinity College, Cambridge, who was sent to Avignon, to present the English King's claim to the French throne to the Pope; Robert Bateman (1560-1644), an English merchant and politician, London City Chamberlain (1626-1644); and...
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Pateman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Pateman family to Ireland

Some of the Pateman family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Pateman migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Pateman or a variant listed above:

Pateman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Elizabeth Pateman, who settled in Virginia in 1653
  • Eliz Pateman, who arrived in Virginia in 1653 4
  • Priscilla Pateman, who arrived in Maryland in 1678 4
Pateman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Isaac Pateman, who settled in Philadelphia in 1753
Pateman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • J Pateman, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1850 4

Australia Pateman migration to Australia +

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

Pateman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. John Pateman, (b. 1795), aged 43, English farm labourer who was convicted in Bedford, Bedfordshire, England for 15 years for breaking and entering, transported aboard the "Augusta Jessie" on 10th August 1838, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 5

New Zealand Pateman 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:

Pateman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • George Pateman, aged 27, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874
  • Harriet Pateman, aged 25, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874
  • Joseph Pateman, aged 2, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874
  • Emma Pateman, aged 5, who arrived in Lyttelton, New Zealand aboard the ship "Apelles" in 1874

Contemporary Notables of the name Pateman (post 1700) +

  • Matthew Pateman, also known as Matthew James, an English singer and actor, best known as the former lead singer of the English 1990s boy band, Bad Boys Inc
  • Carole Pateman (b. 1940), English feminist and political theorist, member of the British Academy since 2007, awarded the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science in 2012
  • Matthew Pateman, British Professor of Popular Aesthetics at Sheffield Hallam University, the Gerard Manley Hopkins Lecturer for the 2003-2004 academic year at John Carroll University
  • Robert Pateman (b. 1856), Australian cricketer who played two first-class cricket matches for Victoria between 1880 and 1882
  • Eric Pateman, Canadian chef and restaurateur, Executive Chef and President at Edible Canada, recipient of the Mayor of Vancouver's Arts Awards for Culinary Arts in November 2013


  1. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  2. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  3. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  4. 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)
  5. Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 23rd August 2020 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/augusta-jessie


Houseofnames.com on Facebook