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The Tilghman family name according to evidence by historical findings is one of the oldest and well researched surnames.
The family motto is: Spes Alit Agricolam (Latin) "Hope Nourishes the Farmer"
The first identified Tilghman was Johannes in 1225 in Kent England and can be found in Stephen Fredrick Tillman's book "Spes Alit Agricolam." There in Kent the Tilghmans held a family at the Snodland Parish called Holloway Court.
However the origins of the Tilghman family go back beyond that. The Venerable Bede mentioned in Volume 1 of his writings that the Tilghman family settled in Kent England in 692. The oldest finding of the name Tilghman was in 692 and was that of a Monk Tilmon (Tilghman) who was with the Two Ewalds when they met their fate. Some who have researched the family believe the Tilghman family originated near the Rhine River as the French Von Till family and later migrated to England. Others who have researched the family however believe the Tilghmans came to England during the Anglo-Saxon invasions of the 4th century with the Jutes. The true origins of the Tilghman family remain a mystery to this day due to lack of written or physical evidence. Those who have done extensive research on the family also believe according to historical findings that the Tilghmans were thegns in medieval England and have traced their origins to that of William the Conquer William the Conqueror and Alfred the Great by way of Anna "Sanders" Tilghman circa 1572.
Many of the Tilghmans in the United States today are descended from Dr. Richard Tilghman; a surgeon; who sailed from England with in wife in 1660 and settled the "Hermitage" Tilghman family home in Talbot County, Maryland
During medieval times literacy was not common, and due to that many scholars would spell the last name Tilghman how they thought it may be and therefor that is why you have the many variations of the spelling such as; Tilghman, Tylghman, Tilmon, Tillmon, Tilman, Tillman, etc.
Tilghman places of note:
Tilghman people of note: