Maxwal History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Maxwal surname is a habitation name derived from a place named Maxwell near Melrose in country Roxburgh. The place name derives from the Old English personal name "Maccus," and the Old English word "weil" Old English for a stream or spring. Alternatively, the name comes from when the family lived in or near Maxwell, a salmon pool located on the Tweed River near Kelso Bridge. 1

Early Origins of the Maxwal family

The surname Maxwal was first found in Roxburghshire. The earliest record of the name Maxwal was of a Herbert de Maccusweil, who moved to Scotland from England, where he came to hold the land at Max's weil or Maccusweil, and flourished under the kings Malcolm IV and William I in the second half of the 12th century. It is thought that Herbert was of Norman stock; even though the name itself had older roots. Of his sons, John de Maccuswell was recorded as Great Chamberlain of Scotland, and as Sheriff of Teviotdale. He came to have the barony of Cærlaverock in Dumfries, and is on record as a resident of that country in 1221.

Another son Aymer de Maxwell was the first use the modern spelling of his surname; he migrated to the Scottish county of Peebles, where he was recorded as Eymer de Mackisuuell in 1262. Aymer married Mary, daughter of Sir Roland de Mearns, heiress of the barony of Renfrew from which would come the lines of Maxwell of Pollock and Maxwell of Calderwood. Branches were also established in Roxburgh and Berwick. 2

"Maxwell: A Maccus was one of the gallant three who defended the bridge at Maldon in 991. Maccus was the name of one of David I.'s foreign favourites - probably Anglo-Norman - and he was given large possessions. He called his chief place of residence Maccusville. 3

Other records show "Herbert de Macuswell or Maxwell, the ancestor of the house, had a son, Sir John de Macuswell, who was sheriff of Roxburghshire in 1203 and 1207. " 4

Over the southern border in England, early Yorkshire records show Herbert de Makeswell in the Pipe Rolls of 1190. 1

Robert Maxwell, 5th Lord Maxwell (d. 1546), "was descended from a family which, probably originally from England, settled in Scotland at Maccuswell or Maxwell, on the Tweed, near Kelso, in or before the reign of David I. Ewen Maccuswel of Caerlaverock, Dumfriesshire, assisted Malcolm Canmore at the siege of Alnwick in 1093, and it is with Dumfriesshire and Galloway that the subsequent history of the Maxwells is chiefly associated. Sir Herbert Maxwell won special renown for his defence of the castle of Caerlaverock against the army of Edward I in 1300, and in the subsequent wars its possession was frequently in dispute. The lordship of Maxwell dates from about 1428. The fifth lord was the eldest son of John, fourth lord, killed at Flodden, 9 Sept. 1513, his mother being Agnes, daughter of Sir Alexander Stewart of Garlies, ancestor of the Earls of Galloway." 5

Early History of the Maxwal family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Maxwal research. Another 175 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1320, 1454, 1512, 1552, 1581, 1583, 1586, 1593, 1620, 1646, 1676, 1708, 1715, 1716, 1720, 1744, 1762, 1775, 1787, 1797, 1800, 1831 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Maxwal History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Maxwal Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Maxwaile, Makiswell, Makiswel, Makeswell, Maxwell, Maxwel, Maxswel, Maxville, Maxvile, Maxuel, Makeswel, Maxweel, Maxwale, Maxswell, Maxwal, Maxwaul, Maxwaale, Maxwul, Maxwail and many more.

Early Notables of the Maxwal family

Notables of the family at this time include Herbert Maxwell (d. circa 1454), 1st Lord Maxwell; John Maxwell (1552-1593), 7th Lord Maxwell, who was briefly Earl of Morton; and Robert Maxwell (1586-1646), 9th Lord Maxwell, created Earl of Nithsdale in 1620. Sir John Maxwell of Terregles, Master of Maxwell, and afterwards fourth Lord Herries (1512?-1583), partisan of Mary Queen of Scots, second son of Robert, fifth Lord Maxwell [q. v.], by Janet Douglas, daughter of Sir William Douglas of Drumlanrig, Dumfriesshire, was born about 1512, and was educated at Sweetheart Abbey, Kirkcudbrightshire. 5 James Maxwell (1581-?) The Scottish author was the only son...
Another 167 words (12 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Maxwal Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Maxwal family to Ireland

Some of the Maxwal family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 80 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Maxwal family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: Alexander Maxwell, who came to Boston in 1650; James Maxwell, who settled in Maryland in 1658; Charles Maxwell, who settled in America in 1684; Daniel Maxwell, who settled in Boston in 1652.

The Maxwal 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: Reviresco
Motto Translation: I flourish again.

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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)
Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 1 of 3
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print