Max History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England

Early Origins of the Max family

The surname Max was first found in Northamptonshire at Maxey, a parish, in the union and soke of Peterborough. 1 Now part of Cambridgeshire, this ancient Saxon village dates back to c. 963 when it was known as Macuseige and literally meant "island or dry ground in marsh, of a man called Maccus" from the Viking personal name. 2

The first record of the family was found here in the original Latin form, Suein de Makesia in the Pipe Rolls of 1185. The next record of the family was found over one hundred years later in Cornwall when Nicholas de Makeseye was mentioned in 1297. 3

Maxey Castle was a medieval fortified manor house castle built around the 1370s by William Thorpe near the village of Maxey. Only the remnants of the castle can be seen today.

Early History of the Max family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Max research. Another 159 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1137, 1432, 1455, 1484, 1487, 1510, 1541, 1542, 1600 and 1617 are included under the topic Early Max History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Max Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Maxey, Maxie, Max, Maxy, Maxse, Maxsey and others.

Early Notables of the Max family

Distinguished members of the family include

the Maxey family of Essex

Max Ranking

In the United States, the name Max is the 11,823^rd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4 However, in France, the name Max is ranked the 3,785^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 5

Max migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Max Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Max, aged 21, who landed in Virginia in 1635 aboard the ship "Assurance" 6

Max Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mathilde Max, who landed in Galveston, Tex in 1845 aboard the ship "Joh. Dethardt" 6
Harris Max, aged 34, who arrived in Missouri in 1848 6
Meyer Max, who arrived in New York, NY in 1850 6
Louis Max, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1854 6
Henry Christian L Max, aged 29, who landed in New York, NY in 1855 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Max migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Max Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Michael Max a farm labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Sir George Grey" in 1864

Contemporary Notables of the name Max (post 1700) +

Ralph C. Max, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Missouri 7th District, 1942 7
Matthew Max, American Democratic Party politician, Real estate and insurance business; shoe merchant; Mayor of Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1929-34 7
Herbert J. Max, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Iowa State Senate 6th District, 1970 7
Herbert J. Max, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for U.S. Representative from Illinois 12th District, 1944 7
Adolphe Max (1869-1939), Belgian politician
Robert Max Gillett (1927-2011), Australian politician
Warner Max Corden AC (1927-2023), Australian economist
Harry Max Markowitz (1927-2023), American economist who received the 1989 John von Neumann Theory Prize and the 1990 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences
David Max Baer (1947-2022), American jurist, Chief Justice of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court (2021-2022)
David Max Marsh MBE (1934-2022), British amateur golfer, Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews in 1990, and Chairman of Everton Football Club (1991-1994)

Citations +

Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 7) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html