Recorded as Ingman, Innman, Inman, Henman and possibly Hyman, this is an English medieval surname. It normally derives from the Medieval English occupational word "Innman", and as such describes an innkeeper. If so the origin is the pre 7th century word "inn" meaning a lodging place where alcoholic beverages were served, plus "man", in this case a keeper or foreman. The surname was first recorded in the late 14th century, see below, occupational surnames being amongst the first to be recorded but the last to be hereditary. They usually only became so when a son or sometimes a grandson, followed the father into the same line of business. It has also been suggested that the surname derives from an Old English pre 7th century personal name Ingemund, a compound of "Ing", the name of a minor Norse god of fertility, plus "mund", protection, however this is not been proven. Early examples of the surname recordings taken from surviving church registers include Elizabeth, the daughter of Robert Inman, who was christened at St. Mary's Bedford, on February 11th 1547, Thomas Hyman was christened at the same place on September 8th 1549, whilst the marriage of Daniel Ingman and Elizabeth Davis took place at St. Martins in the Fields, Westminster, on June 10th 1754. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Willelmus Inman. This was dated 1379, in the Poll Tax returns of the county of Yorkshire, during the reign of King Richard 11nd of England, 1377 - 1399. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

© Copyright: Name Origin Research 1980 - 2024