Catman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Catman

What does the name Catman mean?

The Catman family name dates back to the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. The name comes from when an early member worked as a servant of someone named Cade, or a person who packed herring into barrels or made the barrels themselves. 1

The surname may also be derived from Saint Cædmon, which was the name of a poet who died around 680 AD. 2

According to the Venerable Bede, Cædmon was an illiterate herdsman who received divine inspiration in a dream to enter a monastery and write religious poetry. He is principally known for the work entitled "Cædmon's Hymn." 2

Thomas de Chabham or Chobham (fl. 1230), was an early English theologian and is mentioned as sub-dean of Salisbury in 1214 and 1230. 2

Early Origins of the Catman family

The surname Catman was first found in Yorkshire where the name "is a North English name. The temptation to make it occupative is great. A 'cade of herynge' is as old as the Promptorium Parvulorum, and the cademan would seem naturally to be one who packed herring in cades, or barrels, or perhaps the cooper who made them. But the name is always found without prefix." 3

The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 included: A. Robert Cademan.; J. Thomas Cademain; Robertus Cadman; and Ricardus Caddeman. 3

Early History of the Catman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Catman research. Another 149 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1270, 1590, 1620, 1623, 1626 and 1661 are included under the topic Early Catman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Catman Spelling Variations

Catman has been spelled many different ways. Before English spelling became standardized over the last few hundred years, spelling variations in names were a common occurrence. As the English language changed in the Middle Ages, absorbing pieces of Latin and French, as well as other languages, the spelling of people's names also changed considerably, even over a single lifetime. Many variations of the name Catman have been found, including Cadman, Cadiman, Caddman, Caedman, Caedmon, Chadman, Catman, Cattman, Katman, Kadman, Kaddman, Cudman, Cuddman, Cutman, Cuttman, Codman, Coddman, Coadman, Codeman, Caidman, Cadsman, Cadesman, Cattsman, Coldman, Caldman, Caldmen and many more.

Early Notables of the Catman family

Sir Thomas Cademan (1590?-1661), English physician, born in Norfolk about 1590, educated at Trinity College, Cambridge. "He then studied abroad, and took the degree of M.D. at Padua March 1620. In May and June 1623 he passed his examination before the censors of the Royal College of Physicians of London, and 'at the comitia majora...
Another 54 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Catman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Catman migration to the United States +

In an attempt to escape the chaos experienced in England, many English families boarded overcrowded and diseased ships sailing for the shores of North America and other British colonies. Those families hardy enough, and lucky enough, to make the passage intact were rewarded with land and a social environment less prone to religious and political persecution. Many of these families became important contributors to the young colonies in which they settled. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first Catmans to arrive on North American shores:

Catman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Benj Catman, who arrived in Virginia in 1704 4

Sources +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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)