Surname Workman - Meaning and Origin
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Q. Workman
read moreWorkman: What does the surname Workman mean?
The English surname Workman is of occupational origin, meaning a person who works or is employed in manual labor. It is derived from the Middle English word ‘werkman’ or ‘werkeman’ which was used to describe a person who worked with his hands rather than a trade or craft.
In the Middle Ages, this Common English surname was found mainly in rural areas in the Southern and Midlands parts of England. Records of the surname date back to the 13th century and one of the earliest records of the surname comes from the 1272 Assize Rolls of Worcestershire where William le Wurkeman was mentioned.
The surname Workman is also found in some non-English speaking countries such as Scotland, Ireland, Wales and Germany. In Germany, the surname may be derived from the Middle High German word 'werchman' and in Poland, the surname may have evolved from the Polish word ‘robotnik’ which translates to 'worker'.
The current spelling of the name is likely to be a simplified adaptation of the Old English spelling as English surnames evolved over the centuries.
Today, the surname Workman is still a popular choice for many, especially those with professions involving manual labor. The name Workman is a proud reminder of the ancestor’s hardworking labor and the value of manual labor to society.
Order DNA origin analysisWorkman: Where does the name Workman come from?
The last name Workman is most commonly found in the United States. Workman is a popular surname in the US with more than 77,000 people having the name as of 2019. It is especially concentrated in the states of Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia with the highest numbers of the name located in Kentucky where it ranks as the 149th most popular surname.
In the United Kingdom, Workman is found significantly less often with about 3,500 recorded people having the surname. It is most commonly found in central England in the regions of Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, and Staffordshire.
In Canada, Workman is a much rarer surname, with just over 1,000 people having the surname residing there. The top provinces which have people with Workman as a surname are Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.
Workman is also found in Australia, with less than 500 people having the name. The top states in which Workman is found there are Victoria and New South Wales, although it is distributed in other states across the country.
Finally, the last name Workman is not particularly common in any other country. The name is rarely found in smaller countries such as New Zealand and Ireland with only a few hundred people having Workman as their last name.
Overall, the surname Workman is predominantly found in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and to a lesser degree, New Zealand, and Ireland.
Variations of the surname Workman
Workman is a surname of English origin. The workman name is derived from the Middle English "workman," meaning a worker or a laborer. Other variants and spellings of Workman include Workmann, Warkman, Werkman, Wirkman, Wurkman, Weorkman, Woorkman, and Worrkman.
Workman has a variety of alternate spellings in some cultures, and is also a common Jewish surname. Jewish spellings for Workman include Virkman, Warkman, Vorkman, Wurkman, and Vurkman. In German, the surname is spelled Werckmann, Werckman, Werkenman, Werkmann, Werkman, and Wirckman. In Dutch it is spelled Wierckman, Werkman, and Wierckmans.
Sometimes, various spellings of the Workman name are associated with different families or clans. For example, Workman and Workmann are associated with the German Workman family, Wirkman and Worrkman are connected to the German Wirkman family, Woorkman is connected to the Dutch Woorkman family, and Vorkman is connected to the Jewish Vorkman Family.
In some cases, the surname is also found spelled as a derivative of another surname. For example, the surname Workick is believed to be derived from the Workman surname, and the surname Workis is believed to be derived from the Anglo-Saxon surname Wirchman.
In sum, the Workman surname has many alternate spellings, variations, and derivations around the world. Depending on the geographical region, it is spelled as Workman, Workmann, Warkman, Werkman, Wirkman, Wurkman, Weorkman, Woorkman, Worrkman, Virkman, Vorkman, Werckmann, Werckman, Werkenman, Werkmann, Wirckman, Wierckman, Wierckmans, Workick, Workis, and Wirchman.
Famous people with the name Workman
- W.C. Handy (William Christopher Handy), pioneering American composer, musician, and arrangement of the Blues.
- Edward Workman, American writer and noted for his shorter works.
- Larry Workman, American actor.
- Peggy Workman, American actress.
- Ginger Workman, American actress and model.
- Christy Workman, American journalist, author, and designer.
- Matt Workman, American cinematographer.
- Bunny Workman, American artist and illustrator.
- Tom Workman, American musician and singer-songwriter.
- Jasmine Workman, American entrepreneur and beauty industry expert.
- Evelyn Workman, American multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and eclectic artist.
- Seth Workman, American professional swimmer.
- Maureen Workman, American nurse/physician’s assistant and television personality.
- Chloe Workman, American actress.
- Beatrice Workman, British writer.
- Rudolph Workman, British architectural photographer.
- Chris Workman, British air force veteran and engineer.
- Lyric Workman, British pop/soul singer.
- Al Workman, British historian.
- Julian Workman, British disc jockey, mixing engineer, and musician.