Although Larkman is a very uncommon name it is not historically rare in Norfolk (England) and it is possible that all Larkmans originated from Norfolk. Research carried out by Frank Randall and Brian Larkman has revealed that only a handful of Larkmans can be found outside Norfolk and Suffolk before 1800.

Most early Norfolk Larkmans lived off the land as farm labourers, some died as paupers whilst a few prospered and became yeoman farmers who employed others as labourers. In 1753 Edward Larkman was deported to America, then a British colony, to work in the plantations for seven years for stealing a neighbour's coat worth 7 shillings. A similar fate befell Peter Larkman who was transported to Australia in 1790. Another Larkman, Charles James, was also transported to Australia. A  Frederick, from Surrey, England was killed during the First World War whilst serving in the Australian Army. His memorial is at the Menin Gate in Belgium. My Great Uncle William, was killed towards the end of the First World War. A list of Larkmans killed during the twoWorld Wars can be found here.  There are also Larkmans in Canada.

Gradually Larkmans moved from the countryside to the towns, some to Norwich, the more adventurous to London. John Larkman moved to Hull some time after1824. Many became craftsmen, some Freemen of Norwich and one a Freeman of the City of London. From about 1860 onwards Larkman families moved further a field to the growing industrial centres - Tyneside, Teesside, Birmingham, Manchester and the Midlands.

A Larkman sailed with Shackleton to the Antarctic. Two Larkman wives lived to be a hundred years old. There has been at least one Reverend Larkman, a captain Larkman R.N. and a Suffolk Larkman J.P. as well as sailors, shoemakers and solicitors. William Larkman, a gardener to Norwich gentry gave his name to a part of Norwich which now has a Larkman Lane, Larkman Schools and a Larkman Pub.