MAY
May is a surname of considerable antiquity within the British Isles, recorded in both English and Scottish contexts. Its distribution is chiefly associated with England, although it also appears in Scotland and other regions of the United Kingdom. The name is Christian in religious affiliation, reflecting the predominant faith of the societies in which it developed.
The etymology of May is multifaceted. One line of origin derives from the Old English noun maeg, denoting a “kinsman” or “relative”. In this sense the surname would have functioned as an identifier of familial relationship. A second Old English source is the word mai, meaning “maiden” or “young woman”, which could have been employed as a nickname for a youthful or unmarried individual. A further Scottish derivation links May to the Gaelic MacBheatha, “son of life”, a variant of the surname MacBeth. Thus the surname may reflect either kinship, youth, or a patronymic connection, depending on the linguistic lineage.
Medieval documentation attests to the early use of the name. The earliest recorded spelling appears as William Mai in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk (1167) during the reign of King Henry II. Subsequent examples include William le Mai (1177), Thomas le Mey and Goscelin Mey (1221), and John Meys (1275). Later records list Stephen Mayes (Warwickshire Subsidy Rolls, 1332) and Ann Mays, daughter of Thomas Mays, baptised in London in 1596. These entries demonstrate the surname’s persistence from the twelfth century onward.
Numerous orthographic variants have been reported, including Le May, Maye, Mayes, Mays, Mayze, Mayzes, Mey, Meys, and Lemay. Some scholars suggest that May may serve as a hypocoristic or diminutive of the given name Matthew, itself derived from the Hebrew Matityahu (“gift of God”). When a plural ending is present, the name may function as a patronymic, indicating “son of May”.
The heraldic record includes a coat of arms granted in Sussex circa 1422, described as a red field charged with a fess between eight gold billets, topped by a crest featuring a leopard’s head. This emblem attests to the social standing that some bearers of the surname attained in the late medieval period.
Typical given names associated with the May surname
Male
- Andrew
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Richard
- Robert
Female
- Elizabeth
- Julie
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Amy
- Ma
- Maa
- Maas
- Maaz
- Mae
- Maes
- Maez
- Mahy
- Mai
- Maie
- Mais
- Maiy
- Maiya
- Maiz
- Mao
- Mas
- Maya
- Mayah
- Mayas
- Mayd
- Maye
- Mayee
- Mayes
- Mayew
- Mayhe
- Mayi
- Mayia
- Mayis
- Mayn
- Mayo
- Mayoe
- Mayos
- Mayou
- Mayow
- Mayr
- Mays
- Mayya
- Maz
- Mazs
- Mea
- Meae
- Meas
- Meay
- Mey
- Meye
- Meyo
- Miya
- Moay
- Moey
- Mohy
- Mooy
- Mouy
- Mouyia
- Moy
- Moya
- Moye
- Moyee
- Moyo
- Muy
- Muya
- My
- Mya
- Mye
- Myo
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname May in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname May are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Double chocolate Digestive.
There are approximately 34,732 people named May in the UK. That makes it the 222nd most common surname in Britain. Around 533 in a million people in Britain are named May.
Surname type: From given name or forename
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named May
- Brian May - Musician and astrophysicist
- Theresa May - Politician
- James May - Television presenter and journalist
- Winifred May - Socialite (1894 to 1983)
- Jodhi May - Actress
- Ralphie May - American stand-up comedian (1972 to 2017)
- Philip May - Investment manager and the husband of politician Theresa May
- David May - Football player
- Jonny May - Rugby union player
- Peter May - Scottish writer
- Joseph May - Actor
- Peter May - Test and County cricketer, administrator (1929 to 1994)
- Phil May - Singer
- Charmian May - Actress (1937 to 2002)
- Stevie May - Scottish football player
- Alan Nunn May - Physicist and convicted Soviet spy (1911 to 2003)
- Rita May - Actress
- Robert May, Baron May of Oxford - Australian scientist who has been Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government
- Simon May - Composer
- Jack May - Actor (1922 to 1997)
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.