Martineau
A French-derived surname built from Martin plus a diminutive ending, often interpreted as meaning “little Martin.”
The #6,737 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 61,675 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Martineau is generally understood as a French form based on the personal name Martin, with the diminutive suffix -eau, historically related to older French -el and Latin -ellus. In that sense, it originally meant something like “little Martin” or “son/descendant of Martin,” rather than referring to a place or occupation. One 19th-century source also suggested an Italian source from Martino, but treated that idea as doubtful.
History
The name is well known in England, especially through a family settled at Norwich in Elizabethan times. It also appears among the French and French-derived surnames that became established in Britain through migration and later social prominence. In modern usage it is strongly associated with educated, anglophone families of French ancestry.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Victorian surname writers often grouped Martineau with other “naturalized” foreign surnames in Britain, showing how established it had become by the late 19th century.
From the historical record
“Martondale : v. Marton, and-|- O.E.dml. MARTINEAU, v. the Appendix of Foreign Names [dim. suff. -eau, earlier -el, Lat. -ell-us] MARTINET, v. the Appendix of Foreign Names [dim. suff. -et] Martin.”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)