This surname is derived from the name of an ancestor. 'the son of Martin'; v. Martel. This once popular font-name, coming as it did in the hereditary surname period, has swelled our 19th century directories enormously.

Martin de Littlebyr, Close Rolls, 42 Henry III.

William fil. Martin, Cambridgeshire, 1273. Hundred Rolls.

Mariota fil. Martini, Huntingdonshire, ibid.

Martin le Cordwaner, Close Rolls, 9 Edward II.

Johannes Martynson, 1379: Poll Tax of Howdenshire.

It is interesting to notice that Martinson still lives, although it does not now appear in the London Directory.

1797. Married — Thomas Martinson and Sarah Burrows: St. George, Hanover Square.

This surname is perhaps from three sources: (1) from the personal name; (2) a shortened form of St. Martin which see, the name of a once great family in East Lothian; and (3) possibly a curtailed form of Macmarttn, which see. Martin, clerk to the chancellor of William the Lion, appears in Angus, c. 1189-99 (RAA., 1, 80), and Martin, medicus Willelmi regis, is mentioned within the same period (ibid., I, 8). Walter Martyn was burgess of Edinbergh, 1380 (Egidii, p. 23), and Laurence Martyn, a native of Jedeworth, had letters of denisation in England, 1463 (Bain, IV, 1335). Robert Martyne was vicar of Garwok, 1497 (RAA., II, 377), Florentyne Martyn of Gybles-toune was juror on assize at Cupar, 1520 (SCHF., p. 187), and there was an old family of the name in St. Andrews in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries (Macfarlane, II, p. 183-198), of which was George Martine (163-1712), secretary to Arch Dishop Sharp. The Martins of Marshadder are descended from Martin, eldest son of Aonghas na Gaoithe (Clan Donald, III, p. 567). Abraham Martin "dit l'Ecossais" (d. 1664), was the first king's pilot on the St. Lawrence river, Canada; the Plains of Abraham, the scene of the battle in 1759, are named from the grant of the land which he received in 1617. Mairtein and Martein 1585, Mairtene 1646, Mairtin 1650, Mairton 1663, Marttine 1660, Mertaune and Mertoune 1607, Merteine 1592, Mertene 1604, Mertine 1509, Mertn 1687, Mertyne 1537, Mirtine 1688.

Martin's (Son) Martin’s Son v. Martin.

From the personal name, rendered illustrious by St. Martin, the apostol of the Gauls. Many places in Normandy were dedicated to him, and from one of these sprang the great family who came hither at the Conquest under the name of De Sancto Martino. Both as a personal designation, and a surname, it is very widely spread in all the countries of western Europe. At Paris it is amongst the very commonest of all family names, answering to our own Smith for frequency. Its derivatives are Martins and Martinson. Martineau is well naturalized here, and Martinelli, Martinez, Martini, and other foreign forms are becoming so. The name of the Saint was perhaps derived from the Latin martius, warlike.

This name may be derived from the Latin martius, warlike, from Mars, the God of War. In the Gaelic, mor is great, and duin, a man. Morduin, a chief, a warrior.

Martin. —Distributed over the whole of England and possessing several homes, the two principal being in the south - west, in Cornwall, and in the south - east, in Sussex and Kent. Less important centres are in Worcestershire and Staffordshire, where the Martins of the midlands mainly reside, and in Northumberland, which is the home of the north country Martins, who also extend across the border into the southern half of Scotland.

The surname Martin derives from the popular first name. The first name Martin has ancient origins which start at the same source as the first name Mark. Both these first names derive from the Latin name Martius, which means ‘of Mars’. Mars was a pagan god of war, and thus Martius was a common name for a warrior. Strictly speaking, Martin is a diminutive of Martius.

Martin owes its popularity as a Christian name to the fourth-century Saint Martin, who was originally a soldier but finally ended up as Bishop of Tours in France. His best- known act was tearing his cloak in two and giving one half to a beggar.

Occasionally, the surname Martin derives from a place name. There are in fact villages called Martin or Marten in six English counties; and from this source the surname would mean ‘a person from Martin (or Marten)’. The place name means ‘a place near a mere or lake’.

The most widespread variations on Martin are Marten, Martyn and Martell. The last of these is a double diminutive (though occasionally it is an occupational name coming from the same Old French word, which means a hammer). The name Martinsmith, which looks occupational, is actually a corruption of the medieval Martinsmough, ‘Martin’s brother- in-law’. The same development is seen in Hudsmith (Hud’s-i.e. Hugh’s-brother-in-law), while the original form remains in Watmough, ‘Walter’s brother-in-law’, and Hitchmough, ‘Richard’s brother-in-law’. Martinson or Martenson, as well as Martins or Martens, are also derivatives of Martin. In other languages the name appears as Martine, Martines, Martinez, Martineau, Martinelli, Martini, Martino and Martinuzzi.

The first name Martin appears in its Latinised form Martius in the Domesday Book records for 1066. However, the surname does not appear until a century later, the first mention being in the Red Book of the Exchequer for Cambridgeshire. Here in 1166 Walter and Helewis Martin are listed.

Martin brothers have on several occasions made major names for themselves in the decorative arts. In the eighteenth century Robert, Julien, Guilhaume and Étienne-Simon Martin invented and perfected the application of a special lacquer for furniture and furnishings. Known as vernis-Martin, this was extensively used at Versailles.

Admiral Sir William F. Martin was renowned in the Royal Navy for having his men arrested (‘pinched’) for even the slightest offence. Ever since, any Martin joining the Navy picks up the nickname ‘Pincher’.

Simon Manfritie de Borton (1210—85) ascended the papal throne in 1281 calling himself Martin IV, under the mistaken assumption that there had already been Popes Martin II and III. His entire short reign was marred by similar ineptitudes, and he was driven from Rome by a popular uprising in 1285.

Glen Luther Martin (1886—1955) was a pioneer aviator and aircraft manufacturer. He made the first flight over the ocean, a short hop from Newport Beach to Santa Catalina Island. Later he formed a large aeroplane manufacturing company, which was responsible for producing such epoch- making craft as the B-26 bomber and the PBM Marina flying boat. Both of these played a major part in the World War II bombing of Germany.

Martins are members of the swallow family. The mud martin is so named because it makes its nest of sticks, straw and mud. Martens are weasel-like carnivores found in Canada, the northern US, Europe and the Far East. The soft, thick fur of these creatures is much valued.

In all, 8 towns in the United Kingdom are Martin-related. There are 17 in the United States including 5 Martins and 5 Martinsburgs. South Africa has a Martindale while New Zealand has a Martinborough. Because of the Saint Martin connections, related town and geographic names are widespread and notably prevalent in Latin-language areas.

With about 185,000 namesakes Martin is the 29th most popular surname in England and Wales. There are over 17.000 Martins in Scotland where it is 36th in popularity. In Ireland it is estimated that with about 15,000, Martin is the 38th most popular surname. The name is notably popular in and around Glasgow where an estimated one in about 269 families bears it. In descending numerical order Edinburgh, Nottingham and Leicester are other Martin strongholds. Around the world Martins are most popular in Canberra (one in 377 families), Ottawa (one in 417) and Sydney (one in 432). The United States counts Martins, Martinsons and Martinez’s together-an estimated total of just over 1.179.000 makes this group their 8th most popular surname.