Larkman

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Larkman is an Anglo Saxon surname used in the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Although Larkman is a very uncommon name it is not historically rare in Norfolk, England and it is possible that all Larkmans originated from Norfolk. Research carried out by Frank Randall and Brian Larkman has revealed that only a handful of Larkmans can be found outside Norfolk and Suffolk before 1800.[1]

Contents 1 History 2 The Meaning Of The Name Larkman 3 Larkman's Who Died In World War One 4 Second World War

[edit] History

Most early Norfolk Larkmans lived off the land as farm labourers, some died as paupers whilst a few prospered and became yeoman farmers who employed others as labourers.

Gradually Larkmans moved from the countryside to the towns, some to Norwich, the more adventurous to London. John Larkman moved to Hull some time after 1824. Many became craftsmen, some Freemen of Norwich and one a Freeman of the City of London. From about 1860 onwards Larkman families moved further a field to the growing industrial centres - Tyneside, Teesside, Birmingham, Manchester and the Midlands.

A Larkman sailed with Shackleton to the Antarctic. William Larkman, a gardener to Norwich gentry gave his name to a part of Norwich which now has a Larkman Lane, Larkman school [2] and a Larkman Pub.[3]

[edit] The Meaning Of The Name Larkman

The Oxford dictionary of surnames gives the definition below.

• Servant of Lark. Where Lark is from a medieval given name, a byform of Lawrence, derived by back-formation from Larkin

With just two exceptions (see note below) all Larkman families in the world can trace their ancestry back to the county of Norfolk in eastern England. From the early 1400s up to the 1700s, bar two sightings in London, no Larkman is listed outside Norfolk or neighbouring Suffolk. This, along with its rarity, suggests that Larkman is a locative surname i.e. it is derived from a placename.

British Surnames by C W Bardsley (published 1901) suggests that Larkman is derived from Lakenham a small village one mile south of Norwich (now a suburb of Norwich). This theory is supported that the earliest recorded Larkmans are to be found in this area and that the surname de Lakenham appears in deeds and apprentice records in the early 1300s. It does not appear in later records.

[edit] Larkman's Who Died In World War One

Name Rank Regiment Date of Death First World War Larkman, A W Seaman Royal Naval Reserve 1st Jun 1916 Larkman, C Rifleman King's Royal Rifle Corps 6th Apr 1918 Larkman, F H A Private Australian Infantry, A.I.F 27th Sep 1917 Larkman, J Lance Serjeant King's Royal Rifle Corps 21st Apr 1916 Larkman, J Private East Surrey Regiment 10th May 1915 Larkman, J Gunner Royal Garrison Artillery 6th Jul 1918 Larkman, J C Private The Buffs (East Kent Regiment) 27th Jul 1918 Larkman, R Private Durham Light Infantry 15th May 1915 Larkman, W Private East Yorkshire Regiment 16th Sep 1918 Larkman, W A Rifleman King's Royal Rifle Corps 15th Sep 1914

[edit] Second World War

Larkman, A J Able Seaman Royal Navy 26th Sep 1943 Larkman, D E Sergeant Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 16th Nov 1940 Larkman, F E Flying Officer Royal Canadian Air Force 3rd Mar 1945 Larkman, J W Stoker 1st Class Royal Navy 27th Jul 1943 Larkman, S Leading Aircraftman Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 28th Jun 1943 Larkman, W Lieutenant Royal Northumberland Fusiliers 17th Oct 1942.