The surname Wakmen was first found in Devon where they were mentioned as men of great influence in the Church and public affairs. Traditionally, the Wakeman, in the ancient Saxon village before the Norman Conquest in 1066, was a man who sounded the horn during the evening to mark the time when criminal offences took on a greater penalty.
The Wakeman of Ripon, Yorkshire has blown his horn faithfully every day at 9:00pm at the four corners of the obelisk in Ripon Market since 886. This "Setting the Watch" tradition is further shown by having the horn on the Arms of Ripon and again appearing on the Harrogate borough coat of arms.
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Early History of the Wakmen family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Wakmen research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1539, 1541, 1549, 1592, 1659, 1662, 1679 and 1688 are included under the topic Early Wakmen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Wakmen Spelling Variations
Wakmen has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Spelling variants included: Wakeman, Wakman, Wakeham, Waikham and others.
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Early Notables of the Wakmen family
Notables of this surname at this time include: John Wakeman (died 1549) an English Benedictine, the last Abbot of Tewkesbury and first Bishop of Gloucester; Sir George Wakeman (died 1688), English royal physician to Catherine of Braganza, Consort of Charles II of England; and John Wakeman, Bishop of Gloucester. He was the son of Edward Wakeman (1592-1659) of the Inner Temple. "George Wakeman, who was a zealous Roman Catholic, was educated... Another 71 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Wakmen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Wakmen family
In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Wakmens to arrive on North American shores: John Wakeham settled in Salvage, Newfoundland in 1681; three brothers Wakeham, Jim, John and Ben settled in St John's, Newfoundland; Samuel and Elizabeth Wakeman settled in Nantasket, Massachusetts in 1631.
England
