Mainson History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland

The roots of the Mainson family name are in ancient Scotland with the Viking settlers. Mainson was derived from the personal name Magnus, which is derived from the Latin word magnus, which means great. This name was popular among the Norsemen and was borrowed in honor of Charlemagne, who was known as Carolus Magnus in Latin. 1 2

Early Origins of the Mainson family

The surname Mainson was first found in Caithness (Gaelic: Gallaibh), the northern tip of Scotland, and in Shetland. The name has evolved from the name Magnusson, as in "son of Magnus."

"Magnus (Latin, 'great') was a popular name among the Norsemen and was borrowed by them in admiration of Charlemagne (in Latin, Carolus Magnus). "It is worth remembering," says Dr. Alexander Bugge, "that long before the birth of Magnus the Good the name Magnus was used among Norse kings of Man and the Hebrides. The first persons who bear this name are Magnus mac Arailt, a chieftain from the Hebrides, in 972, and Magnus Berna (i. e. Magnus son of Bjorn) from Limerick, who probably was akin to the chieftains from the Hebrides. When Sighvat Skald named the new-born son of St. Olav Magnus after Charlemagne, it was probably not his own invention. He had most likely heard the name in the British Isles, and knew that it was derived from the great Emperor." 3

Over the years, a wide variety of spellings were in use by the family: "Jonas filius Magni was one of those who laid charges againSt David Meyner of Weem in 1427. Angus Mangson in Kirkwall in 1446 appears again in 1455 as Anguss Magniss, bailie of Kyrkwaw. David Manson was tenant of Petconnouchty, Ardmanoch, in 1504, Thomas Mainsoun appears in Dunrossness, Shetland, in 1602, Robert Mansone was burgess of Dornoch, 1669, and John Mansone, 'dene of gild, ' and three other Mansones took the Test in the burgh of Tain in 1685. 3

The Manston, Mainston and Mainstone variants are presumably derived from the same source. Manston is a small parish in Dorset. 4 5 This parish dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 when it was first recorded as Manestone. 6 Manston can also be found in Kent where it was known as Manneston in 1254. Both places literally mean "farmstead of a man called Mann," from the Old English personal name + "tun." 7

Early History of the Mainson family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mainson research. Another 208 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1000, 1490, 1524, 1567, 1568, 1569, 1574, 1582, 1602, 1620, 1625, 1674, 1677, 1726, 1732, 1752, 1765, 1766, 1792, 1825, 1836, 1850, 1860 and 1876 are included under the topic Early Mainson History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mainson Spelling Variations

Sound and intuition were the main things that scribes in the Middle Ages relied on when spelling and translating names. Since those factors varied, so did the spelling of the names. Spelling variations of the name Mainson include Manson, Manseon, Mansson, Mainson, Monson, Mansoun, Magnuson and many more.

Early Notables of the Mainson family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Thomas Manton (1620-1677), an English Puritan clergyman, clerk to the Westminster Assembly and a chaplain to Oliver Cromwell.David Manson (1726-1792), school-master, son of John Manson and Agnes Jamieson, was probably born in the parish of Cairncastle, co. Antrim, in 1726. His parents being poor, he began life as a farmer's servantboy, but was allowed by his employer to attend a school kept by the Rev. Robert White in the neighbouring town of Lame. There he made such good progress that in a short time he himself opened a school in his native parish...
Another 255 words (18 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mainson Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mainson migration to the United States +

In North America, the monarchy was thousands of miles away and Scots were free to settle on their own land and practice their own beliefs. The American War of Independence provided an opportunity for these settlers to pay back the English monarchy and forge a new nation. Recently, this heritage has survived through North American highland games and Clan societies. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name Mainson or a variant listed above:

Mainson Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Jon Mainson, who landed in Virginia in 1643 8

The Mainson Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Meae menor originis
Motto Translation: Mindful of my origin.

Citations +

Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
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)