Martin


Select Martin Surname Genealogy

There was a famous fourth century saint, Martin of Tours, and, because of him, the name became extremely popular throughout Europe, especially in Mediterranean countries and in Normandy in France, during the Middle Ages. 

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England.  The Normans probably brought to the name to England.  Clusters of Martins were to be found at an early date in Sussex, near where the Normans had landed.  The name merged with the Old English locational name for a settlement by a lake (from mer meaning lake or pool and tun settlement).  Places of this name cropped up in Hampshire, Lincolnshire and Worcestershire.  A Martin family was also established at Anstey Pastures and Rotton House in Leicestershire from an early time.  Later, fleeing Huguenots from France brought the name to England.

Ireland.  The Normans also brought Martin to Ireland.   One family of Martins was included in the fourteen "tribes of Galway," having come to Ireland at the time of the Anglo-Norman invasion.  The Martin name can also be an abbreviation of MacMartin or Gilmartin.

America and Canada have a larger share of Martins than England because of the immigrants who brought this name from France, Spain, and elsewhere in Europe (the first in America may have been Peter Martin, a Huguenot refugee, in Virginia sometime around 1700).  Martin has become a very common surname in Spain and as well, to a lesser degree, in France.

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Joseph Martin, the son of a Virginia colonist, was an Indian trader and pioneer settler in what was to become Tennessee.
Lionel Martin founded the British car company Aston Martin.
Dean Martin, the Italian-American singer, was born Dino Crocetti.
George Martin was the record producer for the Beatles.
Dick Martin was an American comedian associated with the 1970's TV show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In.
Steve Martin is an American comic actor.

Select Martins Today

  • 153,000 in the UK (most numerous in Lancashire)
  • 218,000 in America (most numerous in Texas)
  • 120,000 elsewhere (most numerous in Canada)

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For other surnames check the companion selectsurname.com site where there are to be found the history and genealogy for more than 500 surnames.

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