Origin
Martin : 1: English Scottish Irish French Walloon Breton Dutch Flemish German Czech Slovak Croatian Italian (Veneto); Spanish (Martín): from a personal name derived from Latin Martinus itself a derivative of Mars genitive Martis the Roman god of fertility and war whose name may derive ultimately from a root mar ‘gleam’. This was borne by a famous 4th-century Christian saint Martin of Tours and consequently became extremely popular throughout Europe in the Middle Ages. In North America the surname Martin has absorbed cognates and derivatives from other languages e.g. Slovak and Rusyn (from Slovakia) Marcin Albanian Martini Polish surnames beginning with Marcin- and Slovenian patronymics like Martinčič (see Martincic). Martin is the most frequent surname in France and one of the most frequent surnames in Wallonia.2: English: variant of Marton.3: Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Mártain ‘descendant of Martin’ (compare 1 above). Otherwise a shortened form of Gilmartin or McMartin; sometimes also spelled Martyn.
Breakspear : from Middle English breken ‘to break’ + spere ‘spear’ probably used for a successful contender in tournament or battle. Compare Stephen Bruselaunce 1308 in Ramsey Abbey Court Rolls (Suffolk); Martin Briselaunce 1312 in London Letter Books D; Richard Brekeswerd (‘break sword’) 1195 in Pipe Rolls (Lincs).
Brice : French English and Scottish: from the Old French personal name Brice probably Celtic (Gaulish) in origin but not firmly explained (Latinized as Bri(c)tius Bric(c)ius or Brixius) which was borne by a 5th-century Christian saint who succeeded Saint Martin as bishop of Tours. Consequently it became a popular personal name in France and Germany in the early Middle Ages. It was imported to England and Scotland by the Normans. Compare German Brixius.
Bryce : English (of Norman origin): from the Old French personal name Brice probably Celtic (Gaulish) in origin but not firmly explained which was Latinized as Bricius. It became popular in France through the cult of the 5th-century Saint Brice successor of Saint Martin as Bishop of Tours and was introduced to England and Scotland by the Normans. See also Bryson.
Burrup : English: habitational name from Burdrop in Sibford Gower (Oxfordshire) which is recorded as Burithorp in 1314 or from Burderop in Chisledon (Wiltshire) or from a lost place called Boutherop in Eastleach Martin (Gloucestershire) recorded as Burithrop in 1310 and Bowthorp in 1577–1648.
Buzzacott : 1: from Buzzacott in Combe Martin (Devon) recorded as Bursecot in 1399 and Bussacott in 1667. The place-name may contain the Old English male given name Beorhtsige ‘bright’ + ‘victory’ and cot(e) ‘cottage’. 2: possibly in some cases an anglicized form of French Boursicot from a diminutive of French bourse ‘purse’.
Chappell : English: topographic name for someone who lived near a chapel from Middle English chapel(l)e ‘chapel’ via Old French from Late Latin capella originally a diminutive of capa ‘hood cloak’ but later transferred to the sense ‘chapel sanctuary’ with reference to the shrine at Tours where the cloak of Saint Martin was preserved as a relic.
Ekers : probably a variant of Akers; compare John Akers 1796 Sarah Ekers 1797 in IGI (Great Yarmouth Norfolk); Martin Akers 1817 Martin Ekers 1825 in IGI (Deptford Kent).
Gaetano : Italian: from the personal name Gaetano medieval Latin Caietanus originally a Latin ethnic name denoting someone from Caieta in Latium (now Gaeta). According to legend the place was named after the elderly nurse of Aeneas who died there after fleeing with him from the ruins of Troy. The name persisted among early Christians and was popular in the Middle Ages. The religious reformer Saint Gaetano (1480–1547) was born in Vicenza a member of a Venetian noble family. He is not to be confused with his contemporary Cardinal Gaetano an active opponent of Martin Luther.
Geden : variant of Gidding see Giddings. Compare Richardus Geedon 1674 Anne Gidding 1682 Hanah Geedin 1695 Daniel Gidden 1718 in IGI (Saint Martin in the Fields Middx).
Hurkett : from Hurdcott in Winterbourne Earls (Wilts) recorded as Herdicote in Domesday Book and as Hurkett in 1606 or perhaps from Hurdcott in Barford Saint Martin (Wilts) recorded as Hurcott in 1659. Early examples are difficult to distinguish from other places similarly named from Middle English herde ‘herdsman’ + cot(e) ‘cottage’.
Jean : 1: French Walloon West Indian (mainly Haiti) Mauritian and English (of French Huguenot origin): from the male personal name Jean French form of John. This is one of the most frequent surnames in Haiti (along with Joseph and Pierre). It is also established elsewhere in the West Indies (e.g. in the Dominican Republic Saint Lucia Saint Martin and Bahamas).2: English: habitational name for someone from Genoa in Italy; compare Janeway.3: Breton (mainly Le Jean): variant of Jan ‘John’.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 甄 see Zhen.
Kappel : 1: German Danish and Dutch: topographic name for a person living near a chapel from Middle High German kap(p)elle kappel ‘chapel’. This is a loanword from Late Latin cap(p)ella a diminutive of cappa ‘hooded cloak’ the first building to be so called having housed a cloak that reputedly belonged to Saint Martin of Tours. Compare Cappel.2: German and Dutch: habitational name from a place called with Middle High German kappel ‘chapel’ of which there are many examples in southern Germany (in the north mostly Cappel). This surname (in both possible senses; see also 1 above) is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine). Compare Cappel.3: German (Käppel): diminutive of Kapp.
Kellow : 1: Cornish: habitational name from Kellow in Lansallos or Kellow in Saint Martin by Looe (both Cornwall). The placenames derive from the plural form of Middle Cornish kelli ‘grove small wood’.2: English: occasionally a habitational name from Kelloe in Durham named from Old English celf ‘calf’ + hlāw ‘mound hill’.
Malecha : Czech:: 1: nickname from a derivative of malý ‘small little’ (see Maly).2: from a pet form of Martin Marek Matěj or any other personal name beginning with Ma-.
Marcin : 1: Slovak Rusyn (from Slovakia) and Polish: from Marcin a personal name equivalent to Martin. In Poland this is the most usual form as a personal name but the surname is very rare there while in Slovakia where Marcin is a dialect form of the name Martin the situation is opposite.2: American shortened form of Polish Marcinkiewicz and other derivatives of the personal name Marcin (see 1 above).3: In some cases possibly also French: from a vernacular form of the personal name Marcien derived from the Latin surname Marcianus popularized through the cult of a local saint.
Martin del Campo : Spanish (Martín del Campo): compound of two surnames Martín (see Martin) and Campo. It is most common in Mexico. As a Hispanic name in the US it is also written Martindelcampo (compare Martindelcamp).
Martindale : English: habitational name from a place in Cumbria first recorded in 1220 in its present form. There is a chapel of Saint Martin here and the valley (see Dale) may be named from this. Alternatively there may have been a landowner here called Martin and the church dedication may be due to popular association of his name with that of the saint.
Nance : 1: Americanized form of German Nantz.2: Cornish: habitational name from any of the places so-named in Lelant Saint Clement Illogan or Saint Martin in Meneage. The placenames derive from Middle Cornish nans ‘valley’.
Netherton : English (Cornwall and Devon): habitational name from one or more of the many minor places called Netherton in Devon (the placename occurs in the parishes of Berry Pomeroy Buckland Monachorum Combe Martin Farway Haccombe Hartland Sherford and Staverton) or from one or more of the other places in England called Netherton found in Worcestershire Northumberland Lancashire and Yorkshire. All of these placenames derive from Middle English nether ‘lower’ + toun ‘settlement’ (Old English neothera tūn).
Nutcombe : from one or more of the places so named in Devon such as Nutcombe in Combe Martin which is recorded as Notecombe in 1473 Nutcombe in East Allington recorded as Nottecombe in 1430 Nutcombe in Rose Ash recorded as Nuttecumb in 1238 and Nutcombe in Clayhanger recorded as Notcomb in 1334. The place-names all derive from Old English hnutu ‘nut nut-tree’ + cumb ‘valley’.
Peregrine : variant pronunciation of Old French pelegrin ‘pilgrim’ probably influenced by learned familiarity with its etymological form Latin peregrinus. Pelegrin may have been an occasional Middle English variant of Pilgrim but it was also borne by French Huguenots as in Ester Pelegrin 1723 in IGI (Threadneedle Street French Huguenot London) and perhaps Charles Pellegrin 1724 in IGI (Saint Martin in the Fields Middx). Compare Pilgreen and Paragreen.alternatively in S Wales apparently an erroneously latinized form of Perkin by parish clerks as though it were a vernacular form of Latin peregrinus.
Pierre : French Walloon West Indian (mainly Haiti) and Mauritian:: 1: from the personal name Pierre French form of Peter (see also below). This is one of the most frequent surnames in Haiti (along with Jean and Joseph) and in Saint Martin. It is also established elsewhere in the West Indies (e.g. in Trinidad and Tobago Saint Lucia Grenada and Bahamas).2: from Old French pierre ‘stone rock’ (from Latin petra a word which is also the origin of the personal name Pierre; see Peter). It may be a topographic name denoting someone who lived on a patch of stony soil or by a large outcrop of rock or a metonymic occupational name for a quarryman or stonemason. Compare Lapierre.
Porres : Spanish: habitational name from any of several places in Burgos province named with Porres such as San Martín de Porres and Merindad de Valdeporres.
San Martin : Spanish (San Martín; also Sanmartín): habitational name from any of numerous places so named for a local shrine or church dedicated to Saint Martin (Spanish San Martín); see Martin.
Sandford : English: habitational name from any of numerous places in England with names derived from Old English sand ‘sand’ + ford ‘ford river crossing’ such as Sandford in Warcop (Westmorland) Sandford in Sonning and Dry Sandford in Abingdon (both Berkshire) Sandford on Thames and Sandford Saint Martin (both Oxfordshire) Great and Little Sampford (Essex) Sandford Orcas (Dorset) Sandford Sampford Courtney Sampford Peverell and Sampford Spiney (all Devon) Sampford Arundel and Sampford Brett (both Somerset) and Sandford (Shropshire). See also Sandiford.
St. Martin : French (Saint-Martin): habitational name from any of several places in various parts of France named Saint-Martin (from the dedication of their churches to Saint Martin) or a nickname with the prefix Saint as an (ironic) attachment to the personal name or surname Martin; this was one of the most common nicknames (noms de guerre) among French soldiers (see Lafleur).
Tremaine : Cornish: habitational name from one or more places in Cornwall named Tremayne (Saint Columb Major Crowan Saint Martin in Meneage) Tremaine or Tremain (Pelynt). The placenames all derive from Middle Cornish tre ‘estate farmstead’ + men ‘stone’ with the exception of Tremaine which may have menegh plural of manach ‘monk’ as the final element.
Trezise : Cornish: habitational name from Trezise in the parish of Saint Martin in Meneage or Tresayes in the parish of Roche both so named from Cornish tre ‘estate farmstead’ + Seys ‘Englishman’.
Tuddenham : principally from East or North Tuddenham (Norfolk) but also from Tuddenham (Suffolk) or Tuddenham Saint Martin (Suffolk) all of which are recorded as Tudenham in medieval documents. The place-names derive from the Old English personal name Tudda (genitive Tuddan) + Old English hām ‘village homestead’.
Waterworth : English (Lancashire and Yorkshire): occupational name from Middle English water ‘water’ + ward ‘guard’ probably for an officer in charge of an area of water. All the early examples occur on the banks of Martin Mere a large freshwater lake (now drained) in western Lancashire.
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Source : DAFN2 : Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, ©2022 by Patrick Hanks and Oxford University Press
FANBI : The Oxford Dictionary if Family Names in Britain and Ireland, ©2016, University of the West of England
FANBI : The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Family Names in Britain, ©2021, University of the West of England
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