Show ContentsTwentyman History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Twentyman family

The surname Twentyman was first found in Cumberland where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor. The Saxon influence of English history diminished after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries and the Norman ambience prevailed. But Saxon surnames survived and the family name was first referenced in the 15th century when they held estates in that county.

Early History of the Twentyman family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Twentyman research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1455, 1487 and 1861 are included under the topic Early Twentyman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Twentyman 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 Twentyman 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 Twentyman include Twentyman, Twentiman, Twintyman, Twintiman and others.

Early Notables of the Twentyman family

Distinguished members of the family include

  • the Twentyman family of London


United States Twentyman 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 Twentyman or a variant listed above:

Twentyman Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas Twentyman, who landed in New York in 1845 1

Contemporary Notables of the name Twentyman (post 1700) +

  • Lawrence Holme Twentyman (1783-1852), English-born, prominent Silversmith in Cape Town, South Africa
  • William Holme Twentyman (1802-1884), English-born, silversmith in Cape Town who made a considerable fortune on Mauritius and retired at the age of 39, creator of a sealed case for a pocket watch to be worn under water
  • Geoffrey "Geoff" Twentyman (b. 1959), English Drivetime show announcer on BBC Radio Bristol and former professional footballer
  • Richard "Alfred" Twentyman (1903-1979), English architect, known for his work in Wolverhampton
  • Geoff Twentyman (1930-2004), English footballer
  • Leslie Jack "Les" Twentyman OAM (1948-2024), Australian youth outreach worker, community activist and footballer in the western suburbs of Melbourne.
  • Percy Sydney Twentyman -Jones (1876-1954), South African sportsman who played one Test in 1902, and international rugby union in three Tests in 1896
  • Collier Twentyman Smithers (1867-1943), British portrait, figure and rustic painter


  1. 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)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook