Couchman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
Couchman is an old Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a person who was a person who worked as the local couchman, who drove passengers in a horsedrawn carriage.
Early Origins of the Couchman family
The surname Couchman was first found in Hampshire, where they held a family seat from the Middle Ages.
Early History of the Couchman family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Couchman research. Another 39 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1374, 1500, 1669 and 1764 are included under the topic Early Couchman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Couchman Spelling Variations
The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Couchman has been recorded under many different variations, including Couchman, Coachman, Cocheman, Cowcheman and others.
Early Notables of the Couchman family
More information is included under the topic Early Couchman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Couchman migration to the United States +
For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Couchman or a variant listed above:
Couchman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
- Sara Couchman, who landed in New England in 1634 aboard the ship "Hercules" 1
- James Couchman, who landed in Virginia in 1665-1666 1
Couchman migration to Australia +
Emigration to
Australia followed the
First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:
Couchman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
- Mr. George Couchman, (b. 1796), aged 34, English ploughman who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Florentia" on 11th August 1830, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 2
- Thomas Couchman, aged 33, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Steadfast" 3
Couchman 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:
Couchman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Alfred Couchman, aged 40, a farm labourer, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 4
- Annie Couchman, aged 40, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 4
- Alfred Couchman, aged 4, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 4
- William Couchman, aged 13, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 4
- Ellen Couchman, aged 15, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 4
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Couchman (post 1700) +
- Peter Couchman, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Governor of South Dakota, 1892 5
- Peter Couchman, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Schoharie County, 1872-73 5
- John W. Couchman, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Schoharie County, 1860 5
- Alan Couchman, American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Texas, 2012 5
- Hugh Couchman, Canadian astronomer and professor at McMaster University
- John Malcolm Couchman (1913-2004), British rower at the 1936 Summer Olympics
- Dame Elizabeth Couchman DBE (b. 1982), born Elizabeth May Ramsay Tannock, Australian co-founder of the Liberal Party of Australia
- Admiral Sir Walter Couchman (b. 1981), British Royal Navy officer, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (1960–1961)
- James Randall Couchman (b. 1942), British Conservative politician, Member of Parliament for Gillingham (1983 – 1997)
- Henry Couchman, 18th century architect and landscape gardener
Historic Events for the Couchman family +
- Mr. Richard Couchman, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 6
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)
- Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 11th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/florentia
- South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) STEADFAST 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/steadfast1852.shtml
- 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 16) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
- HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html