MAW
Maw is a surname of both English and Irish origin, found predominantly within the British Isles, particularly in England. The name is associated with the English language and a Christian religious context.
The surname can function as a topographic designation for an individual who resided near a hill or mound, derived from the Old English word maw meaning “stomach” or “belly.” It may also have arisen as a nickname describing a person with a large or voracious appetite.
Another possibility is that Maw is a variant of the surname Maughan, which originates from the Old Irish personal name Mathghamhain meaning “bear.” In this case the name reflects an Irish origin rather than an English one.
From an Anglo‑Saxon perspective, the name can be traced back to the pre‑7th‑century personal name Mawa. It is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Mauua and later in 1199 as Mawe, indicating early usage in England.
In Middle English, Maw may also derive from a nickname for a person who was related to a prominent local figure. The term maw, maugh denoted a relative by marriage, with southern usage typically referring to a female relative (from Old English mage) and northern usage to a brother‑in‑law.
Another modern origin for the surname is as an Anglo‑Saxon topographical name for someone who lived by a meadow, derived from the Old English mawe. This origin accounts for contemporary variations such as Maw, Mawe, Mowe, Mew, and Mewe.
Documentary evidence of the surname includes the marriage of Robert Maw and Agnes Smith in Stepney, London, on 9 September 1540. The earliest recorded spelling of the family name is that of William Mawe, dated 1275 in the Norfolk Hundred Rolls during the reign of King Edward I (1272–1307).
In sum, the surname Maw encompasses a range of etymological origins, including topographic, descriptive, and patronymic sources, with its documented presence in England extending back to the late twelfth century and beyond.
Typical given names associated with the Maw surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- Ian
- James
- John
- Michael
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Karen
- Katherine
- Margaret
- Mary
- Melanie
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
- Victoria
Similar and related surnames
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Maw in...
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There are approximately 2,065 people named Maw in the UK. That makes it roughly the 4,108th most common surname in Britain. Around 32 in a million people in Britain are named Maw.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Maw
- Nicholas Maw - Composer (1935 to 2009)
- William Maw - Civil engineer (1838 to 1924)
- Michael Maw - (1912 to 1944)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.