This name is a dialectual transposition from the Olde German job descriptive name Fassman - a maker or seller of barrels and cashs. Occasionally the origin can be a nickname for a person of rotound appearance, one shaped like a barrel! The name is recorded heraldically in Rietstaps Armorial General, the Coat of Arms being a red field, a unicorn in silver surmounted by a red bend with three gold stars. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Fassman sur Emhof which was dated C. 1680 Bavaria, The Holy Roman Empire during the reign of Emperor Leopold 1 1668-1705 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.