Whittmand History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe history of the name Whittmand begins in the days of the Anglo-Saxon tribes in Britain. It was a name for a person with a pale complexion or blond hair. A broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, nickname surnames referred to a characteristic of the first person who used the name. They can describe the bearer's favored style of clothing, appearance, habits, or character. The name means "white man" 1 as far back as the 13th century when the poem Piers Plowman, (line 5195) notes "a Wightman of strengthe." 2 Alternatively, the name could have been a baptismal name as in 'the son of Wigmann.' "I strongly suspect the baptismal origin is the correct one. " 3 Early Origins of the Whittmand familyThe surname Whittmand was first found in Oxfordhire. The variant Witmar (a personal name) was found in the Domesday Book of 1086. 4 Withman (d. 1047?), Abbot of Ramsey, called also Leucander and Andrew, was a German by birth. 5 Other early listings of the name or one of its variants include: Witeman fugitius who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1170; William Witman who was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Kent in 1230; Richard Wyteman who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Staffordshire in 1243; and Stephen Whytman who was listed in the Assize Rolls of Somerset in 1243. 6 The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 listed Agnes Wyteman in Oxfordshire; John Wyteman in Cambridgeshire; Thomas Wyteman in Oxfordshire and William Wytman in Huntingdonshire. 3 The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 list Johannes Wyghman, Willelmus Wyghman, and Johannes Wyghman as all holding lands there at that time. 3 The Scottish connection should now be explored. "Gilbert Wichtmann was rector of Lyne in 1527, and John Wychtman rendered to Exchequer the accounts of the burgh of Peebles in 1563. Thomas Vychtman was witness in Perthshire, 1547, John Waichtman appears in Melrose, 1606. " 7 Early History of the Whittmand familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Whittmand research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1544, 1566, 1612, 1631, 1688, 1716 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Whittmand History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Whittmand Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Whittmand 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 Whittmand include: Whiteman, Whitman, Wightman, Whyteman and others. Early Notables of the Whittmand familyNotables of the family at this time include Edward Wightman (1566-1612), an English Baptist, executed at Lichfield for his views and was the last person to be burned at the stake for heresy in England. "He is said to have... Migration of the Whittmand family to IrelandSome of the Whittmand family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Migration of the Whittmand familyMany 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 Whittmand or a variant listed above: Robert Whiteman settled in New England in 1635; Matthew Whiteman arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733; John Whiteman settled in Philadelphia in 1741.
|