Martel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  France 


The name Martel first came from the French word "martelage" which means "hammering" and later the word "martel" was used for a "weapon hammer". 1

Early Origins of the Martel family

The surname Martel was first found in Gascony (French: Gascogne), an area of southwest France bordering Spain, that was part of the "Province of Guyenne and Gascony" prior to the French Revolution, where the family has held a family seat since ancient times. Charles Martel (c. 688-741) was a Frankish ruler best known for his victory at the Battle of Tours in 732, which halted the European invasion by the Moors. He was given the nickname Martel, "the Hammer", for his approach to battle. At this early date this was not a hereditary surname. He is also said to be the grandfather of Charlemagne.

By the 15th century the family was well established in Gascogne and several members held distinctive positions in society and were rewarded by their peers with lands, titles, and letters patent confirming their nobility.

Throughout the centuries the family prospered and expanded to various regions where members of the family adapted to the cultural and linguistic changes in these new areas and they became prominent citizens in their respective communities. The name Martel was also seen in Normandy with many distinguished families, cited in 1066 and 1133. 2

Honore Martel, son of Jean and Marie (née Duchesne), travelled to Canada from Paris, France around 1667. He married Marguerite La Mirault, daughter of François and Jeanne (née Clause), at the church of Quebec on 26th November 1668. They settled together at Dombour, Neuville, Quebec. 3

Early History of the Martel family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Martel research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1271, 1290, 1295, 1570, 1600, 1654, 1708, 1789, 1859 and 1938 are included under the topic Early Martel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Martel Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Martel, Martelle, Martelles, Martal, Martales, Martell, Mertel, Mertelle, Mertalle and many more.

Early Notables of the Martel family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

Martel World Ranking

In the United States, the name Martel is the 2,655th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 4 However, in Canada, the name Martel is ranked the 109th most popular surname with an estimated 26,634 people with that name. 5 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Martel is the 36th popular surname. 6 France ranks Martel as 307th with 13,139 people. 7


Martel migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Martel Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Martel Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Martel migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Martel Settlers in Canada in the 17th Century
Martel Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Martel 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:

Martel Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Martel (post 1700) +
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