Mallett
An English surname usually derived from the old French personal name Malet, with a long history in medieval England.
The #5,315 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 47,094 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mallett is generally understood as a reduced or altered form of the medieval French name Malet, which came into England after the Norman Conquest. The deeper roots are usually traced to an Old German personal name, often given as Madalhart, containing elements meaning roughly "strength" or "power" and "hardy" or "brave." Some writers also suggested it could sometimes be connected with a diminutive of Mary through forms like Mai, but that is less certain and probably secondary.
History
The name appears very early in English records, especially in eastern counties such as Norfolk and Suffolk, where Norman families named Malet were established after 1066. Later spellings like Mallett seem to reflect a softened or reshaped form of the older name rather than a separate origin. The surname is also found in France, where related forms are much older.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One of the best-known medieval bearers was Roger Malet, a Norman landholder associated with Eye in Suffolk after the Conquest.
From the historical record
“London, i, i. Mallet, Mallett.— Bapt 'the son of Malet* Malet fil. Henry. C. Baldwin Malet, co. Soros., 1373. A.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)