Mayn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

The name Mayn reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mayn family lived in Maien, or Mayene, from Mayenne in Maine, Normandy and was a powerful baronial house, with Walter de Maynne listed in 976. 1

Early Origins of the Mayn family

The surname Mayn was first found in Devon at King's Nympton, a parish, in the union of South Molton, hundred of Witheridge. The manor, which was parcel of the ancient demesne of the crown, was granted by King John to Joel de Mayne, by whose rebellion it was again vested in the crown: it was given by Henry III. to Roger le Zouch. 2

"Judael of Mayenne had a vast barony in Devon in 1086, and his family long continued there. In 1165 Walter Fitz Juel de Mayenne (de Meduana) held a barony of twenty-one knight's fees in Kent." 3

Judael appears in the Domesday Book as Judhel de Totenais, so named for the barony of Totness. He is probably the grandfather of Juhel de Meduana who witnesses one of the Empress Maud's charters to Geoffrey de Mandeville. Nicholas de Meduana, of Dorset and Somerset are listed in the Great Roll of the Pipe (Pipe Rolls) 1 Richard I. 1

Early History of the Mayn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mayn research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1140, 1544, 1577, 1612, 1631, 1633, 1654, 1661, 1668, 1683, 1702, 1705, 1708, 1711 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mayn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mayn Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Mayn family name include Main, Maine, Mayne and others.

Early Notables of the Mayn family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Saint Cuthbert Mayne (1544-1577), an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr of the Reformation and Counter-Reformation; Simon Mayne (1612-1661), English Member of Parliament from Dinton Hall in Buck...

Migration of the Mayn family to Ireland

Some of the Mayn family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 56 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mayn migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Mayn family to immigrate North America:

Mayn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mr. Thomas Mayn, (b. 1824), aged 24, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Cornwall" arriving in the United States on 18th October 1848 4
Mr. Henry Mayn, (b. 1820), aged 28, Cornish settler departing from Penzance aboard the ship "Cornwall" arriving in the United States on 18th October 1848 4

Mayn 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:

Mayn Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Miss Elizabeth A. Mayn, (b. 1868), aged 2, Cornish settler departing on 23rd September 1870 aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
Mrs. Emma Mayn, (b. 1840), aged 30, Cornish settler departing on 23rd September 1870 aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
Miss Emma Mayn, (b. 1865), aged 5, Cornish settler departing on 23rd September 1870 aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
Mr. James Mayn, (b. 1840), aged 30, Cornish farm labourer departing on 23rd September 1870 aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
Mr. James Mayn, (b. 1863), aged 7, Cornish settler departing on 23rd September 1870 aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 23rd December 1870 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Mayn 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: Projeci
Motto Translation: I have thrown away.

Citations +

Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
The Norman People and Their Existing Descendants in the British Dominions and the United States Of America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1975. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0636-X)
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to New York 1820 - 1891 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_new_york_1820_1891.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf