Horsham History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Etymology of Horsham

What does the name Horsham mean?

The name Horsham is rooted in the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. It was originally a name for someone who worked as a mounted warrior, rider, groom, or horse-dealer. The surname Horsham is derived from the Old English words hors, which means horse, and mann, which means man or servant. 1

Early Origins of the Horsham family

The surname Horsham was first found in Warwickshire where Hugh le Horsman was listed in the Feet of Fines for 1226-1227. The Subsidy Rolls for Worcester included John le Horsman there in 1327 and later in Yorkshire, William Horsman was listed there in 1415. 2

The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 had three listings for the family: Agnes le Horseman, Buckinghamshire; Robert le Horsman, Oxfordshire; and Walter Horsman, Huntingdonshire. 3

Early History of the Horsham family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Horsham research. Another 86 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1536, 1589, 1593, 1597, 1601, 1604, 1610 and 1689 are included under the topic Early Horsham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horsham Spelling Variations

It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Horsham are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Horsham include Horsman, Horseman and others.

Early Notables of the Horsham family

Notables of the family at this time include Thomas Horsman (c.1536-1610), an English politician, Member of the Parliament of England for Grantham in 1593, 1597, 1601...
Another 26 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Horsham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Horsham migration to the United States +

Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Horsham or a variant listed above:

Horsham Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Dorcas Horsham, aged 40, who arrived in Isla de Providencia in 1635 aboard the ship "Expectation" 4
Edward Horsham, aged 14, who arrived in Isla de Providencia in 1635 aboard the ship "Expectation" 4
Elizab Horsham, aged 16, who arrived in Isla de Providencia in 1635 aboard the ship "Expectation" 4

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)