Maxwell
A Scottish habitational surname meaning “Maccus’s spring or pool,” from an old place-name in Roxburghshire.
The #490 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 4,543 Americans shares it.
Etymology
This surname comes from the place-name Maxwell in Roxburghshire, Scotland, which was recorded in medieval forms such as Macuswell and related spellings. The name is generally explained as meaning “Maccus’s spring” or “Maccus’s pool,” combining the personal name Maccus with Old English wella, “spring” or “stream.” Some older writers connected the first element with a personal name of Scandinavian or mixed English-Celtic background, but the place-name origin is the standard explanation.
History
The Maxwell family of Maxwell was established in medieval Scotland, and the surname spread widely from that territorial name. The clan and its cadet branches became prominent in the Scottish Borders, Dumfriesshire, and beyond. In later centuries the name traveled to Ireland, North America, and other English-speaking regions through migration.
Origin
Regions
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Fun fact
The surname is older than the modern spelling suggests: medieval records show forms like Macuswell before Maxwell became standard.
From the historical record
“Maccus-iiin] MAXWELL (Eng. or Celt. + Eng.) Dweller at Maccus' Spring or Pool [A.-Sax. Maeeus-w(i)elle] .iElfere and Maecus, liiddige twegen [brave twain]. — The Battle of Maldon (A.D. 993), 80. MAY \ (Eng.) I Man.'Warrior ; Kinsman,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)