The family Polman can be traced back to the 16th century in the County of Ravensberg (German: Graschaft Ravensberg), a former territory of the Holy Roman Empire. This region, now part of eastern Westphalia in Germany, was first documented in the 12th century during the Middle Ages, with Ravensberg Castle as its first seat. The family originated from an ancient noble line in a village called Hille, recognised by their coat of arms, which displayed an arm holding a ring. Legend has it that “twelve Polman brothers” travelled to different countries and established lineages in each one. It is unknown which generation these twelve brothers represented, but perhaps this is why the family name can be traced to several different locations.