Recorded as Jackman, Jakeman and possibly others, this is an English surname although probably with some French input. It derives from the from the French personal name Jacque, a form of John, and introduced into the British Isles after the Norman Conquest of 1066. To this has been added the Old English pre 6th century suffix 'mann', the latter meaning friend or advisor. The surname was first recorded in the year 1296 when Robert Jakeman appear in the Subsidy Tax rolls for the county of Sussex, whilst Robert Jackman appears in the Poll Tax rolls for Yorkshire in 1379. A coat of arms was granted to Alderman Edward Jackman, the High Sheriff of London in 1564. He held extensive estates in the counties of Buckingham, Essex, Hertfordshire and as far away as Durham. Early examples of the surname in surviving church registers include William Jackman, a christening witness at St Mary Colechurch, on June 27th 1561, and Katherin Jakman, christened at St Margaret Lothbury, also city of London, on January 13th 1571. John Jackman of Barbados is recorded as being "master" of Pettard Cordeline. The latter, who seems to have been a Frenchman, was a supporter of the Duke of Monmouth. After being captured in 1685, he was sentenced by 'Bloody' Judge Jeffries to exile in the West Indies as a slave. 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.

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