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The name Ishman is an ancient Anglo-Saxon name that was given to a person who was a an ancient Saxon name which meant warrior of the spear. Ash, another ancient Saxon name meant spear.
"In Anglo-Saxon poetry aesc or ash is constantly used in the sense of spear, because the staff of a spear was usually made of that wood. So the Latin ferrum signifies both iron and sword. Ashman is therefore the equivalent of spearman." 1
"I take it that this name is the same as Asman, Osman, Osmon, Osmund (whence doubtless Houseman, Housman.)" 2
"As the surname is found at Gorleston and in Rochford Hundred (Essex), it may sometimes be an occupation-name." 3
The surname Ishman was first found in the county of Wiltshire, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Ash, in ancient Saxon meant "spear," therefore Ashman was a "spear warrior," " and perchance the same as Assemannus in Domesday Book; compare the place-names Ashmanhaugh, Ashmansworth, compounded with the name of the original tenant. " 4
By the time of the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, the family had scattered throughout early Britain: William Asseman, Suffolk; Peter Asseman, Cambridgeshire; Reginald Assheman, Suffolk; Walter Ascheman, Suffolk; and Henry Asscheman, Suffolk. 5
In Norfolk, early records there show: Nicholas Ashman, bailiff of Yarmouth, 1299; and Robert Ashman, bailiff of Yarmouth, 1316. 6
The singular Asseman, Asman was found in Huntingdonshire in the 13th century. John Essheman was found in the Assize Rolls for Kent in 1317. 3
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Ishman research. Another 39 words (3 lines of text) covering the year 1916 is included under the topic Early Ishman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Ishman has undergone many spelling variations, including Aschman, Ashman, Asheman, Asman and others.
More information is included under the topic Early Ishman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Ishman were among those contributors: