Origin and popularity of the name MAI

Origin

Mai : 1: Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 麥 meaning ‘wheat’ in Chinese: (i) from Mai Qiu (麥丘) the title of a man in the state of Qi (located mainly in present-day Shandong province) during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC) who despite being very old came to celebrate the birthday of the Duke Huan of Qi (ruler of the state of Qi died 643 BC). His descendants inherited 麥 the first part of his title as their surname. (ii) borne by descendants of Mai Tie Zhang (麥鐵杖) a famous general during the Sui dynasty (581–618 AD). His descendants were scattered around southern China.2: Chinese: Mandarin and Cantonese form of the surname 買 meaning ‘buy’ in Chinese: (i) borne by descendants of the king Song Weizi founder of the state of Song. (ii) borne by descendants of the Duke Dao of Xu (ruler of the state of Xu 546–523 BC) possibly inheriting his personal name. (iii) from the first element of the personal name Mai Zhu Chu (買朱鉏) style name of an official who lived during the Spring and Autumn period (770–476 BC). (iv) it has also been traced back to other ethnic groups in northern China.3: Chinese: Cantonese form of the surname 米 see Mi.4: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 马 see Ma 1.5: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surname 梅 see Mei 1.6: Vietnamese: from the Chinese surname 梅 see Mei 1.7: German: variant of May 2 ‘May’. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and Denmark.

May : 1: English: from the Middle English male personal name May a pet form of Matthew (see Mayhew).2: English Dutch and German: from a personal name or nickname taken from the month of May (Middle English Old French mai Middle High German meie from Latin Maius (mensis) from Maia a minor Roman goddess of fertility). This name was sometimes bestowed on someone born or baptized in the month of May; it was also used to refer to someone of a sunny disposition or who had some anecdotal connection with the month of May such as owing a feudal obligation then. In England this name was possibly also a pet form of Mary or Margaret. This surname is also found in France (Alsace and Lorraine) and Denmark.3: English: nickname from Middle English mey may ‘kinsman’.4: English: occupational name from Middle English mei Old French mege meie ‘physician’ a side form of Mee.5: Irish (Connacht and Midlands): when not of English origin (see 1–4 above) this is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Miadhaigh ‘descendant of Miadhach’ a personal name or byname meaning ‘honorable proud’.6: French: habitational name from any of various places called (Le) May. Compare Dumay and Lemay.7: French: from an old vernacular form of the Latin personal name Marius (see Mario).8: Jewish (Ashkenazic): habitational name from Mayen a place in western Germany.9: Americanized form of Polish and Jewish (from Poland) Maj ‘May’ a cognate of 2 above.10: Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 麥 (see Mai 2) and 梅 (see Mei 1). This form occurs more often for the personal name than for the surname.11: Amerindian (Mexico): Mayan name from maay ‘cloven hoof’ by extension also ‘young deer’.

Whitmee : from Middle English whit ‘white’ + mei ‘young man’ or mai ‘maid’. The surname may mean ‘fair youth’ or may be a derogatory nickname ‘fair maid’; the medieval evidence could be interpreted either way.

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Surname frequency

Geographic distribution of the 19,361 individuals with the name MAI on Geneanet.

This last name in the family trees

See below the Geneanet members' family trees which contain the last name MAI