Yeaman is one of the many new names that came to
England following the
Norman Conquest of 1066. The name Yeaman is for a
gatekeeper. Further research proved the surname Yeaman was originally derived from the Old English word
geat, meaning
gate. Early Origins of the Yeaman family
The surname Yeaman 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 Yeaman family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Yeaman research.
Another 155 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1611, 1674, 1685, 1690, 1689 and 1730 are included under the topic Early Yeaman History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Yeaman Spelling Variations
Multitudes of
spelling variations are a hallmark of Anglo Norman names. Most of these names evolved in the 11th and 12th century, in the time after the
Normans introduced their own Norman French language into a country where Old and Middle English had no spelling rules and the languages of the court were French and Latin. To make matters worse, medieval scribes spelled words according to sound, so names frequently appeared differently in the various documents in which they were recorded. The name was spelled Yetman, Yeatman, Yeetman, Yeaman, Yateman, Yatman and others.
Early Notables of the Yeaman family (pre 1700)
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...
Another 32 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Yeaman Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Yeaman family to the New World and Oceana
Because of this political and religious unrest within English society, many people decided to immigrate to the colonies. Families left for
Ireland, North America, and
Australia in enormous numbers, traveling at high cost in extremely inhospitable conditions. The New World in particular was a desirable destination, but the long voyage caused many to arrive sick and starving. Those who made it, though, were welcomed by opportunities far greater than they had known at home in
England. Many of these families went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Yeaman or a variant listed above:
Yeaman Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- James Yeaman, who arrived in America in 1795 [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
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)
Contemporary Notables of the name Yeaman (post 1700)
- George Helm Yeaman (1829-1908), American politician, U.S. Representative from Kentucky, U.S. Ambassador to Denmark (1865-1870)
- Sir Ian Yeaman, President of the Law Society
- Malcolm Yeaman, American Democrat politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Kentucky, 1876 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Mrs. James M. Yeaman, American politician, Delegate to Kentucky convention to ratify 21st amendment, 1933 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - George Helm Yeaman (1829-1908), American politician, Representative from Kentucky 2nd District, 1862-65; U.S. Minister to Denmark, 1865-70 [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html - Kirk Yeaman (b. 1983), English Rugby League player
- John Yeaman (1735-1824), Canadian political figure in New Brunswick
- Jennie Yeaman (1862-1906), Australian child actress and singer
- Lydia Yeaman (1866-1929), Australian singer and actress of the stage and motion pictures
The Yeaman 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.