Spilman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The roots of the German surname Spilman lie in the kingdom of Bavaria, where the name originated. Spilman is an occupational name, deriving from the Middle High German verb "spillen," meaning "to play, jest, sport." Thus, it is likely that the name was originally borne by an actor or a jester.

Early Origins of the Spilman family

The surname Spilman was first found in the city of Offenburg, in modern Baden-Wuerttemburg, where the name Spielman could be considered to make a great early contribution to the feudal society which became the backbone of early development of Europe. The name Spielmann became prominent in local affairs and branched into many houses which played important roles in the savage tribal and national conflicts, each group seeking power and status in a constantly changing territorial profile.

Early History of the Spilman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Spilman research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1588, 1626, 1722, 1783, 1786 and 1790 are included under the topic Early Spilman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Spilman Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Spielmann, Spielman, Spellman, Spelmann, Spellmann, Speilman, Speillmann, Spillman, Spillmann, Spilman and many more.

Early Notables of the Spilman family

Prominent among members of the name Spilman in this period include

Sir John Spilman (also spelt Spielman) (died 1626) German-born entrepreneur who founded the first commercially successful paper-mill in Kent, England in 1588

Spilman migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Spilman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Spilman, aged 24, who landed in Virginia in 1616 aboard the "George" 1
Mrs. Hanna Spilman, aged 23, who arrived in Virginia in 1619 aboard the ship "Bona Nova" 1
Thomas Spilman, aged 28, who landed in Virginia in 1623 aboard the ship "George" 1
Thomas Spilman, who arrived in Jamestown, Va in 1624 1
John Spilman, who arrived in Virginia in 1662 1

Spilman migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Spilman Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Jos Spilman, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750

Spilman 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:

Spilman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. J. Spilman, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Norfolk" arriving in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand on 18th June 1880 2
Mrs. Spilman, British settler travelling from London with 5 family members aboard the ship "Norfolk" arriving in Wellington, North Island, New Zealand on 18th June 1880 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Spilman (post 1700) +

Jonathan Edwards Spilman (1812-1896), American lawyer, minister, and composer from Kentucky
William Harry Spilman (b. 1954), American retired Major League Baseball first baseman who played from 1978 to 1989
Louis Spilman, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Virginia, 1940 3
B. R. Spilman, American politician, Member of California State Assembly, 1858-59, 1867-69 3
Hendrik Spilman (1721-1784), Dutch painter and engraver

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)
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 11) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html