This German surname of AUMAN was an occupational name for administrative official or head of a community owing allegiance to a feudal superior. The name was from an assimilated form of AMTMANN meaning retainer. The surname is most common in southern Germany and Switzerland. Occupational surnames originally denoted the actual occupation followed by the individual. At what period they became hereditary is a difficult problem. Many of the occupation names were descriptive and could be varied. In the Middle Ages, at least among the Christian population, people did not usually pursue specialized occupations exclusively to the extent that we do today, and they would, in fact, turn their hand to any form of work that needed to be done, particularly in a large house or mansion, or on farms and smallholdings. In early documents, surnames often refer to the actual holder of an office, whether the church or state. A notable member of the name was Francis Robert AUMANN, born 21st January, 1901 at Delaware, Ohio. He was an Educator, and his appointments held include; 1940, Professor of Political Science at the State University of Ohio. His publications include 'Municipal Administration of Justice', 'Changing American Legal System', and he was a contributor to professional journals. He resided at Colubus, Ohio. The first hereditary surnames on German soil are found in the second half of the 12th century, slightly later than in England and France. However, it was not until the 16th century that they became stabilized. The practice of adopting hereditary surnames began in the southern areas of Germany, and gradually spread northwards during the Middle Ages. In the Middle Ages heraldry came into use as a practical matter. It originated in the devices used to distinguish the armoured warriors in tournament and war, and was also placed on seals as marks of identity. As far as records show, true heraldry began in the middle of the 12th century, and appeared almost simultaneously in several countries of Western Europe.