Countryman
A nickname surname for someone thought of as a “countryman” — a rustic, peasant, or person from the countryside.
The #7,977 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 74,504 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname comes from Middle English contreman or countryman, a term for a person from the country rather than the town. In medieval use it could mean a rustic, peasant, or simply someone living in a rural district. The surname is therefore descriptive, originally attached as a nickname rather than referring to occupation or family descent.
History
Historical records cited by 19th-century surname writers show the name in England by the 14th century, including forms such as John Contreman in Cambridgeshire. It appears to have remained relatively uncommon, which fits its survival as a straightforward nickname surname rather than a widespread hereditary clan name. Modern bearers are found mainly in English-speaking countries, especially the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Medieval surname collectors often explained Countryman with a blunt gloss: essentially “the countryman,” meaning someone from out in the countryside.
From the historical record
“WEST (Eng.) One from the West ; a West- couNTRYMAN [M.E. west(e, O.E. west] Robertus del West. — Yorks Poll-Tax, A.D. 1379.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)