Witman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany

The name Witman comes from the Rhineland, an ancient region of Germany. In pre-medieval times, the Germans used only one name, but later they were forced by a growing population to adopt hereditary surnames; so as to remain distinct from the many others of the same first name. Local names were often chosen. They originally indicated land ownership, and frequently carried the prefix von, meaning "of" or "from," which is often taken as an indication of aristocratic lineage. Witman was a name for some one lived in the area that was referred to as widem which was originally derived from the German word denoting church property. Thus the estates or farms lived in by the original bearers of the surname were owned by the church. In early times the Church was the largest landowner in Europe. Many farmers and peasants alike lived on land that was considered church property.

Early Origins of the Witman family

The surname Witman was first found in the Palatinate in the Rhineland valley, where the name was anciently associated with the tribal conflicts of the area. They declared allegiances to many nobles and princes of early history, lending their influence in struggles for power and status within the region. They branched into many houses, and many leaders sought their support in their search for power.

Early History of the Witman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Witman research. Another 316 words (23 lines of text) covering the years 1601, 1638, 1639, 1642, 1646, 1667, 1675, 1687, 1712, 1719, 1724, 1730 and 1870 are included under the topic Early Witman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Witman Spelling Variations

Many cultural groups lived in the German states in medieval times. Each had its own dialect and traditions, and unique variations of popular names. Low German, which is similar to contemporary Dutch, was spoken in Westphalia. German names are characterized by additions such as regional suffixes and phrases that tell something about the origin or background of its original bearer. Further contributing to the variation in German names was the fact that there were no spelling rules in medieval times: scribes recorded names according to their sound. The recorded spelling variations of Witman include Widmann, Widman, Widemann, Wideman, Witmann, Witman, Wittmann, Wittman, Whitman and many more.

Early Notables of the Witman family

Another 29 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Witman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Witman Ranking

In the United States, the name Witman is the 17,080^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1

Witman migration to the United States +

Between the 17th and 20th centuries, hundreds of thousands of Europeans came to North America, and many Rhinelanders were among them. They had many various reasons for making the choice: to escape poverty and persecution, for adventure, and for the opportunity to own their own land. Ellis Island, one of the main American immigration centers, saw many settlers as they moved on to the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, Texas, Illinois, California, and New York. In Canada, they found homes in Ontario, and on the great plains of the Midwestern provinces. The Witman were among of the early German families that came to North America:

Witman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Witman, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Migiel Witman, aged 65, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
Pitter Witman, aged 21, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
Ulrige Witman, aged 31, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
Anna Witman, aged 16, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1733 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Witman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

J Witman, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Witman (post 1700) +

George B. Witman, American biologist, George F. Booth Chair Professor at University of Massachusetts Medical School
Jon Doyle Witman (b. 1972), former professional American NFL football player for the Pittsburgh Steelers (1996-2001)
William Witman II (1914-1978), American diplomat, United States Ambassador to Togo (1964 to 1967)

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)