Recorded in a variety of spellings which include House, Howse, Hows, Hoose, Houseman, and the dialectals Housnam, and Housam, this interesting name is of pre 7th century Olde English origins. It was mainly an occupational surname for someone employed at, or with some connection with, the largest and most important building in the settlement. This may have been the local "great house" of a nobleman or the landowner, or a religious house, a monastery or convent. Job-descriptive surnames originally denoted the actual occupation of the namebearer, and later became hereditary.
In some cases the name may have referred to a "householder", someone who owned his own dwelling as opposed to being a tenant. In the Middle Ages most of the population lived in huts or cottages rather than houses. The derivation of the name is from the Olde English pre 7th Century "hus", house, and the surname was first recorded in the early 13th Century (see below), with John Houseman being recorded in the county of Essex in 1365. A recording from the surviving registers of Greater London is that of the marriage of Amie House and Phillip Foster on November 19th 1594, at the church known as St. Benet Fink in the old city of London. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Simon Hus, which was dated 1226, in the "Eynsham Cartualry", Oxfordshire, during the reign of King Henry 111, known as "The Frenchman", 1216 - 1272. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.
Discovering the historical roots of houseman is deeply interesting, as it takes us back to the ancestors and relatives who established this lineage. We can try to trace the genealogy of the surname houseman, and in addition to the original locations of houseman, we can find out where people with the surname houseman can currently be found. Adhering to what we know about the way surnames originated, it is possible to offer a realistic explanation of the origins of houseman.
Although surnames have a specific origin at a certain time and region of the planet, many of them have spread far and wide across the world for various reasons, as is the case with the surname houseman. The mobility of people carrying the surname houseman has led to its presence in different countries, as you can verify.
The historical chronicle of houseman is based on a striking series of events that were led by those who have carried this surname throughout history. The history, heraldry, coats of arms, and possible nobility of the surname houseman are scattered in documents across various regions and historical periods, so it is necessary to reconstruct a complex puzzle to approach the facts from a realistic perspective. In the following lines, you will find everything we have been able to gather about the surname houseman.
We suggest that if you want to learn more about the surname houseman, try to locate it through the bibliographic sources we suggest. Please note that if you are in a position to provide more data about the surname houseman or any other surname and its origin, we would appreciate your collaboration with us by sending us information about the origin of houseman.
It's more than likely that there have been some distinguished housemans throughout human history. A surname like houseman can connect a person to an illustrious lineage and a distinguished coat of arms. However, it must be kept in mind that it is individual people who, through their lives and actions, bring fame and recognition to their surnames. If you or someone you know bears the surname houseman, you could potentially build illustrious lineages through your efforts and virtues.
Thanks to a significant bibliographic review, we have so far compiled information on the heraldry, history, and genealogy of houseman. We consider it highly advisable to refer to the following sources if you wish to conduct research on the surname houseman, as well as many other surnames. Accessing the archives of the town or towns where your ancestors were born and lived is, of course, a good way to trace the origins of houseman.
These sources are essential for initiating the understanding of houseman, and at the same time, of surnames in general.