Massey Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Massey last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Massey last name
Meaning of the Massey last name: from Macey in Normandy. Massey comes from a Norman family who took their name from Macey, a village in Normandy near Mont-Saint-Michel. After the Conquest they were given lands in Cheshire, and the estate of Dunham Massey still carries their name. The surname is most common in Cheshire, Lancashire and Staffordshire. A curious detail: Vincent Massey became the first Canadian-born governor general of Canada.
Arms associated with the Massey name
English heraldry loves puns, with pictures chosen to match the sound of a name, and families like the Masseys often enjoyed that playful custom.
Get your full Massey family history
This is only a glimpse of the Massey story. The full Massey 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 Massey coat of arms. Get the full Massey report.
Massey name FAQ
What does the Massey name mean?
From Macey in Normandy. Common variants include Massie, Macey, Massy.
Where does the Massey surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Ireland.
Is there a Massey coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Massey 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.