May

Etymology

This surname has more than one old English source. One line of explanation links it to Old English and Middle English words like mg, mag, and may, meaning “kinsman” or “relative.” Another treats it as a nickname from Middle English may, “young woman” or “maiden,” ultimately from Old English words for “girl” or “maiden.” In short, May could have begun either as a kinship-based byname or as a descriptive nickname.

History

The name appears in medieval English records, and the two explanations have long been noted by surname scholars. Because both forms were short, common, and phonetically similar, the surname may have arisen independently in different places from different meanings. Later bearers spread widely in England and, through migration, in English-speaking countries such as the United States.

Origin

Regions

Variant spellings

Fun fact

In older English texts, the word behind one possible origin of May could mean either “kinsman” or “young girl,” which is one reason the surname is hard to pin down to a single source.

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