Mai History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

The distinguished surname Mai originated in an area of Italy, known as the Papal States. Although people were originally known only by a single name, it became necessary for people to adapt a second name to identify themselves as populations grew and travel became more frequent. The process of adopting fixed hereditary surnames was not complete until the modern era, but the use of hereditary family names in Italy began in the 10th and 11th centuries. Italian hereditary surnames were developed according to fairly general principles and they are characterized by a profusion of derivatives coined from given names. Although the most traditional type of family name found in the region of the Papal States is the patronymic surname, which is derived from the father's given name, local surnames are also found. Local names, which are the least frequent of the major types of surnames found in Italy, are derived from a place-name where the original bearer once resided or held land. Often Italian local surnames bore the prefix "di," which signifies emigration from one place to another, but does not necessarily denote nobility. The Mai family lived in the Italian town of Maiolo, in Pesaro in central Italy.

Early Origins of the Mai family

The surname Mai was first found in the ancient city of Orvieto, with Lorenzo Maitani, born in 1275.

Early History of the Mai family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mai research. The years 1494, 1723 and 1782 are included under the topic Early Mai History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mai Spelling Variations

Italian surnames come in far more variations than the names of most other nationalities. Regional traditions and dialects are a decisive factor in this characteristic. For example, northern names tend to end in "o", while southern in "i". Also important, but not unique to Italy, was the fact that before dictionaries and the printing press most scribes simply spelled words according to their sounds. The predictable result was an enormous number of spelling variations. The recorded spellings of Mai include Maiolo, Maione, Majo, Majone, Mai, Maitani, Maineri, Maio, Maioli, Maiolo, Majoli, Majolo and many more.

Early Notables of the Mai family

Prominent among members of the family was

• Giovanni Francesco de' Maineri, a painter from Parma whose work can be seen today in the Uffizi in Florence, and in various galleries in New York and in Rome. Members of the Maio family of Naples were...
• Giuseppe Di Maio was Rector of the Saint Bartolomeo hospital in Sicily in 1723
• Giuseppe Maioli was Treasurer of Romagna. Francesco di Majo of Naples was a famous composer and organist at the Royal Chapel at this time. He composed many oratorios, cantatas, and masses, and 19 oper...

Mai Ranking

In the United States, the name Mai is the 6,692^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1 However, in France, the name Mai is ranked the 3,918^th most popular surname with an estimated 1,500 - 2,000 people with that name. 2

Mai migration to the United States +

Contemporary Notables of the name Mai (post 1700) +

Historic Events for the Mai family +

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