Osmun History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• England

Osmun is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Osmun family lived in Dorset. The name, however, is a reference to Osmandville, on the River Bire in Bessin, Normandy, the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066.

Early Origins of the Osmun family

The surname Osmun was first found in Dorset at Melbury Osmond, a village and civil parish in the union of Beaminster, hundred of Yetminster that dates back to 1283 when it was first listed as Melebur Osmund. "Melbury" roughly means "multi-coloured fortified place" from the Old English "maele" + burh." ^[1] Hence collectively the place name meant "fortified place of a man called Osmund." ^[1] Little is known about the place name other than the parish church, St. Osmund's was thought to have been built before 1550. It was completely rebuilt in 1745.

Important Dates for the Osmun family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Osmun research. Another 80 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 155 and 1555 are included under the topic Early Osmun History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Osmun Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Osmond, Osmund, Osmont, Osmonde, Osmand, Osman, Ozment and many more.

Early Notables of the Osmun family (pre 1700)

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Osmun Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Osmun family

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Osmun or a variant listed above: Adam Osman, who immigrated to Virginia in 1623; John Osmond, who settled in Maryland in 1749; David Osmond, who came to Nova Scotia in 1793; Lewis Osmond, who settled in Philadelphia in 1793.

Contemporary Notables of the name Osmun (post 1700)

• William E. Osmun (b. 1850), American Republican politician, Member of Michigan Republican State Central Committee, 1907; Delegate to Michigan State Constitutional Convention 23rd District, 1907-08 ^[2]
• Gilbert R. Osmun (b. 1845), American Republican politician, Secretary of State of Michigan, 1887-90 ^[2]

Citations

1. ^ Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
2. ^ The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 10) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html