Howsement History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

The name Howsement finds its origins with the ancient Anglo-Saxons of England. It was given to one who worked as a person employed "at the house." In most cases, this was a religious house or convent. The surname Howsement is derived from the Old English word hus, which means house, and the word man, which means servant. 1

Early Origins of the Howsement family

The surname Howsement was first found in Yorkshire where Johannes Howsman was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379. A few years earlier John Houseman was found in Colchester, Essex in 1365. 2

"This surname, early found in Yorkshire, crossed the border and settled in the neighbourhood of Lancaster. A well-known vicar of Lancaster bore this name at the beginning of the century. Two hundred years earlier the name occurs in local Wills." 3

Early History of the Howsement family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Howsement research. Another 61 words (4 lines of text) covering the years 1365, 1604, 1622, 1630, 1636, 1696, 1714, 1759 and 1838 are included under the topic Early Howsement History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Howsement Spelling Variations

The English language only became standardized in the last few centuries; therefore, spelling variations are common among early Anglo-Saxon names. As the form of the English language changed, even the spelling of literate people's names evolved. Howsement has been recorded under many different variations, including Houseman, Housemayne, Houssemayne, Housman, Howseman and many more.

Early Notables of the Howsement family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Howsement Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Howsement family

For many English families, the political and religious disarray that shrouded England made the far away New World an attractive prospect. On cramped disease-ridden ships, thousands migrated to those British colonies that would eventually become Canada and the United States. Those hardy settlers that survived the journey often went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations in which they landed. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Howsement or a variant listed above: William Houseman, who sailed to Barbados in 1635; John Houseman to Virginia in 1699; William Howsman to Nova Scotia in 1749; Henry Houseman to Carolina in 1774.

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)