May Surname Meaning & Origin
What the May last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the May last name
Meaning of the May last name: young man, or from Matthew. May is an English surname with several roots. It can come from a medieval word for a young man, from a short form of Matthew, or from the month of May itself. A curious detail: some early bearers may have been named for May Day customs, when young people chose a 'May king' or 'May queen' for the spring festivities.
Arms associated with the May name
Arms associated with the May name are red with a gold fess between eight gold billets.
Get your full May family history
This is only a glimpse of the May story. The full May history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted May coat of arms. Get the full May report.
May name FAQ
What does the May name mean?
Young man, or from Matthew. Common variants include Mayes, Mey, Mayhew.
Where does the May surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Germany and Australia.
Is there a May coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized May coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.