Mayman

Recorded as Mayman, Maymant, Maymont, Maymand, and Maymond, this is an English surname, but one which may have any of several origins. Firstly, it may represent the rare survival of an Olde English pre 7th century personal name, "Maegenmund", composed of the elements "maegen", mighty, and "mund ", protection. This is recorded as "Maimon" in the pipe rolls of Norfolk in the year 1200. Secondly it may be one of a group of largely Yorkshire occupational surnames, which are composed of a personal name and the word "man". This suffix can have a variety of meanings, in this context usually refers to a skilled man. Also May is a short form of the male given name Matthew, from the Hebrew "Matityahu", meaning a Gift of God. Finally the surname may be a variant form of the medieval occupational surname Maidman or Maidment, denoting a servant employed by a young woman. Here the derivation is from the word "maiden". Antony Mayman appears in the Corpus Christi Guild Records of Yorks in 1541, whilst Johannes Maymond was a witness in Elland, West Yorkshire on November 29th 1583, and Eastor Maymand, the daughter of Christopher Maymand, was christened at Seamer near Scarborough, North Yorkshire, on April 26th 1730. This was probably Easter Day. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Alice Maymund. This was dated 1273, in the "Hundred Rolls" of Huntingdonshire, during the reign of King Edward 1st of England, 1272 - 1307. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.