Mayor (surname)

Mayor is a French surname of Viking or Norman origin.^[1] The Normans were Viking warriors who settled in Normandy, France, the region gaining its name from the Latin Normannium meaning "Men of the North".^[2]

The Mayor surname can be found mostly in France and Switzerland but also in England, where the Normans settled in large numbers following the invasion and conquest by Duke William of Normandy, who became King William I of England in 1066. The first Mayor families to arrive in England were awarded land by William the Conqueror for their distinguished service at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.^[1]

The Mayor surname originates from, and is a variant of, the name Mauger, and carries the meanings of "council spear" and "authority", which itself is derived from the Latin magnus meaning "great one" or "leader".

The original Mayor/Mauger coat of arms is composed of a knight's helmet, a red greyhound to indicate courage, vigilance and loyalty, three red roses, and a ships anchor to indicate religious steadfastness. This theme is also reflected in the Mayor/Mauger family motto, Mea anchora Christus, meaning "Christ is my anchor". These symbols are set against a red and yellow backdrop to indicate the colours that make up the Flag of Normandy. The colour red in a coat of arms also indicates the status of warrior.

As a title, the term Mayor is still used to indicate the head of a town and this is a good indication of its original meaning.

List of persons with the surname

• Federico Mayor Zaragoza (born 1934), Spanish scholar and politician
• John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor (1825–1910), English classical scholar
• Michel Mayor (born 1942), Swiss Astronomy professor at the University of Geneva

References

1. ^ ^{a b} "Mayor Family Crest and Name History". The House of Names. http://www.houseofnames.com/fc.asp?sId=&s=mayor. 
2. ^ King, Henry S. (1874). The Norman People. 

External links

• Noms de famille Suisses-Famille Mayor (French Language)
• Origines des familles apparaissant dans la généalogie de la famille Mayor et des familles alliées (French Language)
• Généalogie de la famille MAYOR de Grancour (VD) et Neuchâtel (French Language)
• Origine des Mayor (French Language)

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