shipman

Shipman is an English surname with roots in Old English scipmann, meaning “ship’s man” or sailor. Historically, the term referred to someone employed on or connected with ships, and it later became a hereditary surname. In contemporary usage, shipman is largely preserved as a family name rather than a common noun, though it may appear in place names or historical titles.

Notable individuals with the surname include Harold Shipman (1946–2004), an English physician who was convicted of murdering numerous patients in the 1990s. Beyond this well-known case, the name has spread through migration and is found among various public figures, professionals, and academics in different countries.

In fiction and popular culture, Shipman is used as a surname for characters in novels, films, and television, reflecting its status as a conventional English surname. The term also appears in toponymy and organizational names, indicating local history or ownership in some communities.

See also: shipman, the historical term for a sailor; Shipman (disambiguation) for other uses and related terms.