Holman first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Holman has been for the last 48 years (from 1974 to 2021) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Holman

An English surname derived from a geographical name meaning "man from the hollow".

Popularity of Holman by gender

Based on the last 48 years of data, Holman is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2021, there were 6 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Holman.

Year Male Count Female Count
2021 6 0
2004 5 0
1987 5 0
1982 6 0
1974 5 0

The history of the first name Holman

The given name Holman is an English name with origins dating back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "hol" meaning "hollow" and "mann" meaning "man," suggesting a connection to someone who lived in a hollowed-out area or near a valley.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Holman can be found in the Domesday Book, a medieval census commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The name is listed as a surname, indicating that it was already in use as a personal identifier during that time period.

In the 13th century, the name Holman appeared in religious texts, such as the writings of the English theologian and philosopher Robert Grosseteste, who mentioned a person with this name in his works.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the name Holman. One of the earliest recorded was Holman the Civilian, a 13th-century English judge and legal scholar who served during the reign of King Henry III (1216-1272).

Another prominent figure was William Holman (c. 1611-1677), an English playwright and author who wrote several comedies and tragedies during the Restoration period.

In the 19th century, Holman S. Toler (1819-1876) was a prominent American politician and lawyer who served as a judge in Mississippi and was involved in the American Civil War.

Holman Day (1865-1935) was an American author and playwright known for his novels and short stories set in the state of Maine, where he was born.

More recently, Holman Williams (1927-2008) was an American artist and sculptor renowned for his abstract expressionist paintings and sculptures, many of which are featured in prestigious museums and galleries.

These examples illustrate the historical presence and significance of the given name Holman across various fields, including law, literature, politics, and the arts, spanning multiple centuries and geographic regions.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Holman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Holman, please contact us.

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"Holman first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on May 11, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/holman-meaning-and-history/.

"Holman first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/holman-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 11 May, 2025

Holman first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/holman-meaning-and-history/.

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