Show ContentsBlackman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Blackman family

The surname Blackman was first found in Durham but also in other areas of Britain including John Blakeman who was listed in Devon during the reign of Henry III [1] and in Norfolk where Blacheman filius Aedwardi was listed in the Pipe Rolls of 1166. Jordanus filius Blakeman was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Hampshire of 1188. A few years later the Pipe Rolls of 1206 listed John Blakeman in Surrey. [2]

Early History of the Blackman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Blackman research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the year 1086 is included under the topic Early Blackman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Blackman Spelling Variations

The name, Blackman, occurred in many references, and from time to time, it was spelt Blackman, Blachman, Blackmann and others.

Early Notables of the Blackman family

Notable amongst the family name during their early history was

  • Sir Geoge Blackman of Harnage

Blackman Ranking

In the United States, the name Blackman is the 1,887th most popular surname with an estimated 17,409 people with that name. [3]


United States Blackman migration to the United States +

The New World beckoned settlers from the Scottish-English borders. They sailed aboard the armada of sailing ships known as the "White Sails" which plied the stormy Atlantic. Some called them, less romantically, the "coffin ships." Among the early settlers bearing the Blackman surname who came to North America were:

Blackman Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nicholas Blackman, aged 40, who landed in Virginia in 1620 aboard the ship " Francis Bonaventure" [4]
  • Nicholas Blackman who settled in Virginia in 1624
  • Mr. Humfrey Blackman, (b. 1619), aged 16, British settler traveling aboard the ship "Safety" arriving in Virginia in 1635 [5]
  • Elizabeth Blackman, who settled in Virginia in 1638
  • Humphry Blackman, who landed in Virginia in 1638 [4]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Blackman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Robert Blackman, who settled in Maryland in 1725
Blackman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Frederick Blackman, aged 44, who landed in New York, NY in 1854 [4]
  • Peter Blackman, aged 21, who landed in New York, NY in 1876 [4]
  • Ephraim Blackman, who arrived in Arkansas in 1895 [4]

Australia Blackman migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Blackman Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. George Blackman, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Countess of Harcourt" on 29th April 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia [6]
  • George Blackman, aged 54, English Convict from Kent, who was transported aboard the "Aboukir" on December 24, 1851, settling in Van Diemen's Land, Australia [7]
  • Miss Ann Blackman, English convict who was convicted in Hastings, East Sussex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duchess of Northumberland" on 25th November 1852, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) [8]
  • Phoebe Blackman, aged 27, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Oriental,"
  • William Richard Blackman, aged 35, a shoemaker, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Henry Moore"

New Zealand Blackman 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:

Blackman Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Blackman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Ann Wilson" in 1857
  • E. Blackman, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Harkaway" in 1858 [9]
  • John Blackman, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Countess of Kintore" in 1870
  • William Blackman, aged 19, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Dorette" in 1874 [10]
  • Mr. William J. Blackman, (b. 1855), aged 19, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Dorette" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th April 1874 [11]
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

West Indies Blackman migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. [12]
Blackman Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century
  • Thomas Blackman, who settled in Barbados with his wife, children and servants in 1679
  • Brian Blackman, who settled in Barbados in 1679

Contemporary Notables of the name Blackman (post 1700) +

  • Don Blackman (1953-2013), American jazz-funk pianist, singer and songwriter
  • Steve Blackman (b. 1963), American professional wrestler
  • Stacy Blackman (b. 1971), American educational consultant
  • Ralph Beebe Blackman (1904-1990), American mathematician and engineer
  • Margaret B. Blackman (b. 1944), American anthropologist
  • Ken Blackman (b. 1972), American professional football player
  • Jeremy Blackman (b. 1985), American actor
  • Cindy Blackman (b. 1959), American jazz and rock drummer, wife of rock guitarist Carlos Santana
  • Bob Blackman (1918-2000), American football player and coach
  • Rolando Antonio Blackman (b. 1959), Panamanian-born, American basketball player, four-time, NBA All-Star
  • ... (Another 45 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

HMS Prince of Wales
  • Mr. Reginald Blackman, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking [13]
  • Mr. Kenneth C Blackman, British Able Bodied Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking [13]
HMS Repulse
  • Mr. Ken Blackman, British Leading Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking [14]
RMS Titanic
  • Mr. Albert Edward Blackman (d. 1912), aged 24, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking [15]


Suggested Readings for the name Blackman +

  • The Blackmans of Knight's Creek: Ancestors and Descendants of George and Maria (Smith) Blackman by Henry James Young.

  1. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  2. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved October 5th 2021 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th April 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/countess-of-harcourt
  7. State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 18) Aboukir voyage to Van Diemen's Land and Norfolk Island. [These convicts appear to have all landed in Van Diemen's Land], Australia in 1851 with 280 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/aboukir/1851
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 22nd July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duchess-of-northumberland
  9. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 5th November 2010). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  12. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
  13. HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
  14. HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
  15. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook