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Waterman Surname Meaning & Origin

What the Waterman last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.

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Meaning and origin of the Waterman last name

Meaning of the Waterman last name: boatman. Waterman is an English surname for a boatman or water carrier, or a servant of Walter. It is found in East Anglia and the south. Lewis Waterman, founder of the Waterman pen company in New York, carried this last name. The surname also spread to the Netherlands.

Arms associated with the Waterman name

Heraldry associated with the Waterman surname uses a few strong colours, and each coat of arms has its own blazon.

Get your full Waterman family history

This is only a glimpse of the Waterman story. The full Waterman history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Waterman coat of arms. Get the full Waterman report.

Waterman name FAQ

What does the Waterman name mean?

Boatman. Common variants include Watterman.

Where does the Waterman surname come from?

It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.

Is there a Waterman coat of arms?

Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Waterman coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.

Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).