| ![Show Contents]() Maidstone History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
England
Etymology of MaidstoneWhat does the name Maidstone mean? The distinguished name Maidstone originates in Maidstone, Kent dating back to before the Domesday Book of 1086. The place name probably means "stone of the maidens, (where they gathered)." 1 Early Origins of the Maidstone familyThe surname Maidstone was first found in Kent at Maidstone, a borough, markettown, and parish, having separate jurisdiction, and the head of a union, locally in the hundred of Maidstone. "Some writers have thought this to be the Caer Meguiad or Megwad enumerated by Nennius among the principal cities in Britain. Camden considers it to be the Vagniacæ mentioned in the second Itinerary of Antoninus. The Saxons named it Medwegestun, a town on the Medwege or middle river, now Medway; in Domesday Book it is written Meddestane, and in records of the time of Edward I., Maydenestane, from which the transition to its present appellation is easy. " 2 Early History of the Maidstone familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maidstone research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1396, 1410, 1412 and 1586 are included under the topic Early Maidstone History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Maidstone Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Maidstone, Maidston, Mayston, Maydeston, Madston and others. Early Notables of the Maidstone family- Richard Maidstone or Maydestone (d. 1396), Carmelite, a native of Kent, educated at Oxford, where he became bachelor and doctor of divinity. Maidstone was confessor to John of Gaunt (MS. e Mus. 86, f...
- Clement Maidstone or Maydestone (fl. 1410), was an English theologian and historical writer, son of Thomas Maydestone. "He was at Hounslow previously to 20 Sept. 1410, when he was ordained sub-deacon...
| Maidstone migration to the United States | + |
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Maidstone or a variant listed above:
Maidstone Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Isabell Maidstone, who arrived in Virginia in 1650 3
- Tho Maidstone, who landed in Virginia in 1650 3
Maidstone Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Benja Maidstone, who landed in Virginia in 1701 3
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
- 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)
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