The Mainser surname is generally thought to have come from the male personal name Manasseh, which is ultimately from the Hebrew Menashe meaning "one who causes to forget." Some instances of the surname may have occupational roots, coming from Anglo-Norman French word "mance," meaning "handle," and used as a name for someone who made handles for tools or implements. [1]
The surname Mainser was first found in Westmorland at Mansergh, a chapelry, in the parish of KirkbyLonsdale, union of Kendal, Lonsdale ward. [2] Some of the first records of the family include Thomas de Mansergh, temp. 12 Edward II., and John de Mansergh, 7 Richard II. [3] Many years later, The Lancashire Wills at Richmond list: Thomas Manser, or Mansergh, of Burton, 1580; George Mansergh, 1573 and Elizabeth Manzer, of Barwicke, 1608. As a personal name the first listings were Manasserus de Danmartin who was listed in Suffolk in 1166; Maserus filius Joi who was found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1186; and Maneserus Judeus, also listed in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire in 1191. "There can be little doubt that this must be the Hebrew Manasseh 'one who causes to forget,' used undoubtedly of Jews." [1] Walter Manser was listed in the Liber Feodorum in Suffolk in 1250 and Alan Mauncer was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. Later John Maunser was listed in the Subsidy Rolls of Essex in 1327. "The Domesday Book tenant-in-chief Manasses was presumably a Norman." [1] The name continued to flourish in Normandy after the Conquest as evidenced by Richard Manesier who was listed there in 1198. [4]
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mainser research. Another 168 words (12 lines of text) covering the years 1510, 1600, 1177, 1552, 1455 and 1487 are included under the topic Early Mainser History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Only recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Mainser has undergone many spelling variations, including Manserg, Mansergh, Mansbergh, Manser, Mansur, Mansurg, Mansurgh and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Mainser Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
To escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Mainser were among those contributors: