Sellman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The surname Sellman is derived from the Middle High German word "sell," which meant "traveling companion." It was most likely originally nickname, which then became a hereditary surname.

Early Origins of the Sellman family

The surname Sellman was first found in Westphalia, where the name emerged in mediaeval times as one of the notable families of the region, later moving to Lithuania and East Prussia. From the 13th century the surname was identified with the military and civil service, which made this territory a landmark contributor to the development and eventual unification of the German nation.

Early History of the Sellman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sellman research. Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1599, 1663, 1797 and 1806 are included under the topic Early Sellman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sellman Spelling Variations

One can encounter great variation in the spelling of surnames: in early times, spelling in general, and thus the spelling of names was not yet standardized; and later, spellings would change with branching and movement of families. Variations of the name Sellman include Sell, Selle, Sellen, Sellers, Seller, Sellmann, Sellman and many more.

Early Notables of the Sellman family

Notables of the period with the name Sellman were Thomas Selle (1599-1663), a German baroque composer; and Baron Adolph von Sell (b.1797), who was Lord Chamberlain at the court of Mecklenburg, as well as...
Another 33 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sellman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sellman Ranking

In the United States, the name Sellman is the 14,185^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Sellman migration to the United States +

Many Germans emigrated across the Atlantic to seek better lives in North America. This great migration began in the middle of the 17th century and continued into the 20th century. Resettlement was particularly attractive to those from Westphalia as a means of escape from poverty and religious persecution. For many Westphalian farmers, the chance to own one's own land was also a major incentive. The process of the widespread colonization of the United States began in 1650, when many immigrants from Germany settled in pockets in Pennsylvania, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California. In Canada, German settlements centered around Ontario and the Prairie provinces. Among them:

Sellman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

John Sellman, who arrived in Maryland in 1675 2

Sellman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Jacob Sellman, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 2
F Sellman, who landed in Texas in 1850-1906 2
J L Sellman, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 2
Christina Sellman, aged 20, who arrived in New York, NY in 1851 2
Magdalena Sellman, aged 9, who landed in New York, NY in 1851 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)