No one knows for sure who the parents of John Carman, born 1606 in England, the founder of the family in America were for an absolute certainty. But over the years, a family history has evolved based on the slimmest of facts and some 'educated guesses'.  From these we take the history of the Carman family back to the First Crusades. So here it is. There are many 'splinters' of the Carman family, still in England, waiting to be tied in as well.  Please check at the end of this page for 'splinter' listings, and as we can tie them in, IF we can tie them in, we will move them into the family.

he earliest known use of the name is supposed of have been John Carman, born before 1042 AD  in Surrey, England, and died Aft. 1086. To even have a surname in those times set you apart, most did not. Most were known by a given name and the town they were from.

In the lists of names of persons entered into Domesday-Book, "holding lands in the time of King Edward the Confessor" (A.D. 1041-1064) [Edward died in 1066, but spent the first 40 years of his life in exile - the Danes were in control of England before 1043. Danes, Swedes and those from Norway all are of the class collectively as "Vikings"], we find a John Seaman and a John Karman (also as Carman), living in the county of Surrey, in adjoining hundreds, and where the respective families were "possessed of domains, manors, and others of the forms of properties of that time" (viz., 1042), and with this year the authentic records and tracings of these families begin. There is no mention of either name in the Domesday records of any of the other counties embraced therein (meaning but one branch of the family).  [Surrey County is located to the southwest of London]

Both names, however, appear in much earlier periods in the annals of Britain. Carman is in the genealogies of the Bishops of Mercia, 670-796; and is mentioned by Bede, the first historian of England. It is also found in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles and charters and in the time of Alfred the Great, 871-901. Seman (Seaman) also appears in these early records, and according to the Chartae Anglo-Saxonica, "Chartae Anglo-Saxonica-Code Diplomatica Avi Saxonicim," etc., etc., by I.K. Kemble; 6 vols., 1839-48, there was an Anglo-Saxon or Norse sea chief of great power and wide fame of this name, and in a letter from Mr. Owen Seaman, the present brilliant editor of London Puck, he says "the tradition is that the Seaman's are of Norse origin"

These data bring both names very near to the beginnings of Saxon rule in England in the fifth century, and also indicate that both families must have been of the leading and influential families for some time prior to 1042, as also in 1085-86, the years in which the Domesday Book census was taken, by order of William the Conqueror.

Only known child of JOHN CARMAN I is JOHN CARMAN II, also supposed born Surrey, England, died after 1096 AD.

In 1096 we find a John Seaman and a John Carman in the list of "Sir Knyghtes Crusaders" of "The First Holie War", and as neither name is found in the records of any other county but Surrey, we are justified in assuming these as descendants of the Carman and Seaman holding lordships 1085-86 and 1042. - (American Families of Historic Lineage, Long Island Edition, National Americana Society, NY, undated).

Knights of the first Crusade were not noblemen, rather they were mostly made up of free peasants. The notion of Knights as royalty did not happen until much later on when their value as mounted soldiers became more important to local Noblemen. Also notice the weapons of the knights on horseback - one interpretation is that the name Carman is derived from "Ker" or "Car", meaning a pike of lance, so Carman would be a man who wielded a pike or lance as a weapon.  But, again in confusion, if the name pre-dates the Crusades by hundreds of years, this cannot be the origin.

Only known child  of JOHN CARMAN II is JOHN CARMAN III, born 1125 in Surrey, England.  This brings us to the beginning of the twelfth century, and by the middle of which we find both family names in the records of the adjoining counties, Kent and Sussex. Both are in Battle Abbey charters, as the quotations elsewhere given show, and in other contemporary rolls and records. Then we find in both the Cinque Ports records (and again illustrations of the remarkable chain of coincidences in the histories of the Carmans and the Seamans) - and in which we find John and a Henry Carman, and several John Seamans in the list of the historic Cinque Ports sea captains. (American Families of Historic Lineage, Long Island Edition, National Americana Society, NY, undated).

Only recorded child of JOHN CARMAN III is WILLIAM CARMAN, born 1149 in Hemel Hempstead, England.  He held the same lands and manor as had his father.  [here we have an error creep in to things - the literal original wording is Hemel Hempstead, Surrey. Unless places have changed in more resent times, Hemel Hempstead is not in Surrey, but Hertsfordshire]

This is the first if the generations to have been from Hemel Hempstead. Hemel Hempstead on the 1086 Domesday book consisted of 1800 acres of woodlands, and belonged to Robert, Count of Mortain, the half-brother of William the Quonquoer.  The Cathedral of St Mary's Church was begun in 1040 and continued under construction until it was finally completed 40 years later, and was of Norman design.

Only known child of WILLIAM CARMAN I is WILLIAM CARMAN II, born 1174 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of WILLIAM CARMAN II is HENRY THOMAS CARMAN, born 1199 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of HENRY THOMAS CARMAN is JOHN CARMAN, born 1224 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of JOHN CARMAN is HENRY CARMAN, born 1254 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of HENRY CARMAN is HENRY CARMAN II, born 1273 in Hemel Hempstead, England.  He married MATILDA.  In the thirteen century we find the main or parent line of the Carman's in the second historic census of England in the time of Edward the First- the Rotuli Hundredorum, or hundred rolls, A.D. 1273, and recorded as owners of desmesnes (domains), manors, and properties at Hemel Hempstead. Henry Carman is the recorded owner of these properties, and according to the same records his wife was Matilda. - (American Families of Historic Lineage, Long Island Edition, National Americana Society, NY, undated).

Only known child of HENRY CARMAN II and MATILDA his wife is WILLIAM CARMAN, born 1299 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of WILLIAM CARMAN is WILLIAM CARMAN II, born 1325 in Hemel Hempstead, England [and survived the great plague of 1348-1351 which killed over a million people in England]

Only known child of WILLIAM CARMAN II is JOHN CARMAN, born 1354 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of JOHN CARMAN is JOHN CARMAN II, born 1378 in Hemel Hempstead, England.  He married ANN STRATFORD.

Only known child of JOHN CARMAN II and ANN STRATFORD his wife is HENRY CARMAN, born 1404 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

 Only known child of HENRY CARMAN is THOMAS CARMAN, born 1430 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of THOMAS CARMAN is THOMAS CARMAN II, born 1459 in Hemel Hempstead, England.

Only known child of THOMAS CARMAN II is JOHN CARMAN, born 1482 in Hemel Hempstead, England. [This being the 17th generation]

Children of JOHN CARMAN were: