Marshall
MAR-shuhl
A surname-turned-given-name that originally pointed to a horse servant or stable keeper, later rising to mean authority and high rank.
Meaning
Marshall comes through Old French from Germanic elements related to horses and service, originally referring to a horse servant, stable keeper, or someone who cared for horses. In medieval usage it developed into an important official title, especially for someone in charge of horses, then of military or court affairs, which is why the name now carries a sense of rank, order, and leadership.
Origin
Old FrenchGermanicmasculine
Fun fact
Marshall is one of those English names that began as a job title before becoming a personal name.
Confidence: pattern inferred. Sources: based on general naming-pattern knowledge.