Show ContentsEatman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 brought much change, including many immigrants with new names. Eatman is a name for a gatekeeper. Further research proved the surname Eatman was originally derived from the Old English word geat, meaning gate.

Early Origins of the Eatman family

The surname Eatman was first found in Dorset where they held a family seat from very ancient times and were Lords of the Manor of Stock Gaylard in that shire. Conjecturally, this family name is descended from William d'Eu who held the manor at the time of the taking of the Domesday Book in 1086 A.D. Count William d'Eu's main holdings were in Wiltshire but it may well be that a junior line of the family became husbandmen to his Dorset holdings.

Early History of the Eatman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Eatman research. Another 78 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1578, 1611, 1632, 1641, 1642, 1643, 1674, 1685, 1689, 1690 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Eatman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eatman Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Yetman, Yeatman, Yeetman, Yeaman, Yateman, Yatman and others.

Early Notables of the Eatman family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Pym Yeatmen of Stock House; Sir John Yeamans, 1st Baronet (1611-1674), an English colonial administrator from Bristol described in his day as "a pirate ashore", Governor of the Province of Carolina; Sir William Yeamans, 2nd Baronet (d. c. 1685); Sir John Yeamans, 3rd Baronet (d. c. 1690); and Sir John Yeamans, 4th Baronet (c. 1689-c. 1730.)Robert Yeamans or Yeomans (d. 1643), was an English Royalist who came of a numerous Bristol family, and was probably nearly related to William Yeamans (1578-1632?), a graduate of Balliol College, Oxford. "Robert was a well-known merchant and...
Another 122 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Eatman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Eatman Ranking

In the United States, the name Eatman is the 15,856th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Eatman migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Eatman or a variant listed above:

Eatman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • John Eatman, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1786 2


The Eatman Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Propositi tenax
Motto Translation: Tenacious of my resolve.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)


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