A male name. Latin Martinus, apparently a diminutive of Martius ‘of Mars’. St Martin of Tours was a 4th-C soldier, later Bishop of Tours and apostle of Gaul; the story of his sharing his cloak with a beggar was a favourite subject of medieval art, and St Martin was a favourite saint in England and in France; there are over 170 churches dedicated to him in England. Martin was a common christian name from the 12th C until the Reformation, and gave rise to many surnames, e.g. Martin, Martins, Marten, Martens, Martinson, Martel (from the diminutive Mart-el), Martlet (from the double diminutive Mart-el-et), and Martinet (from the diminutive Martin-et). After the 15th C the name was less common, but never fell into complete disuse. The names of the birds martin and martlet are derived from Martin (cf. French martinet ‘swift’, martin-pêcheur ‘kingfisher’).

Martinus Curia Regis Rolls 1196-1320, Feudal Aids 1438. Martin Close Rolls 1258, Hundred Rolls 1273. Martinet Exchequer Rolls 1306. Martyn Cocke Lorette’s Bote c. 1515.

Latin Martinus, from Martius (generally spelt Marcius), ‘of Mars,’ hence perhaps, ‘a disciplinarian.’ While Martinus migrated to Germany, France changed it to Martin, a form adopted by the English, who, just to show their independence, gave it a variant, Martyn. The name has received an addition of reverence and respect from two saints: the first Pope Martin, who died of malnutrition (a euphemism foreign to his times) in 655; and, more especially, Martin of Tours, who, after many miraculous and natural good works, died in 401 to become the patron saint of tavern-keepers,—to appear in art as ‘a young soldier, mounted, dividing his cloak with a beggar’ (Dawson),—and to grant to us the occasional blessing of a ‘St. Martin’s summer’ (ca. November 11)—not to be confused with a ‘St. Luke’s summer’ (ca. October 18).

From the Latin name Martinus; from Martius; from Mars, —tis.

Latin (masculine) - Martial.