This surname, from the form (Maccusville) in which it appears in records of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, is commonly thought to be of Norman origin. The name, however, is Old English, and derived from a salmon pool on the Tweed, near Kelso Bridge, still locally known as "Maxwheel." Maccus, son of Undewyn, a Saxon lord, in the reign of David I, obtained a grant of land (now called Springwood) on the Tweed before 1150 (Morton, p. 16), and from the fishery attached thereto, called Macgus's Wiel (Old English wael, a pool, whirlpool), the lands obtained their name. (Camden, Britannia, ed. 1695, p. 909, says the inhabitants of Galloway follow fishing, and that about September they caught "an incredible number of eels in their Weeles," excipulus). The place name Maxton in Roxburghshire may be named from the same Macgus. Macgus filius Undwain witnessed David's great charter to Melrose, a. 1153 (Nat. MSS., I, 17). Herbert granted a charter of Macghuswel to the Abbey of Kelso before 1159 (Kelso, 2), and witnessed several charters by William the Lion. John de Maccus well filius Herbert, vicecomes, witnessed a charter by Bernard de Haudene to Kelso, c, 1210 (Kelso, 213), charters by William the Lion (RAA., I, 71, 83bis), and a Moray charter of 1225 (REM., p. 461). In 1226 Johannes de Makeswell witnessed a charter by Alexander 11 concerning the levying of tolls at the cross of Schedenestun, now Shettleston (REG., p. 114). Eymer de Mackisuuell was sheriff of Peebles, 1262 (Peebles, p. 4), and is recorded as camerarius to Alexander III in 1260 (REA., I, p. 27). The Maxwells first appear as landowners in Wigtownshire about 1481 (Agnew, I, p. 284). Perhaps the best known of the name was the late Sir Herbert Eustace Maxwell. Lawrence Maxwell (1853-1927), solidtor-general of the United States, 1893—1895, was born in Glasgow. Mackeswal 1223, Mak-iswel 1409, Makiswell 1414, Makkiswell 1265, Maligussol (in a papal doc.) 1431, Maxuel 1424 and 1701, Maxvall 1583, Maxvile 1407, Maxwaile and Maxwale 145, Maxweell 1661.

(English or Celtic + English) Dweller at Maccus’ Spring or Pool [Anglo-Saxon Maccus-w(i)elle] Ælfere and Maccus, módige twegen [brave twain].—The Battle of Maldon (A.D. 993), 80.

A Scottish name sometimes used as a synonym of Mescall, q.v. Bibl

“Maccus’ Pool” (Wiel) in Old Scots, famous salmon pool on the River Tweed.

(English) Dweller by the big spring.

A village in the parish of Kelso, co. Roxburgh. Herbert de Macuswell or Maxwell, the ancestor of the house, had a son, Sir John de M., who was sheriff of Roxburghshire in 1203 and 1207. B.L.G.

Local: from the lands of Macchuswell, now Maxwell, in Dumfriesshire. The family are descended from Herbert de Macchuswell, temp. Malcolm IV.

One Macchus, in the eleventh century, obtained lands, on the Tweed, in Scotland, from Prince David, to which he gave the name of Macchus—ville, since corrupted to Maxwell. Maxwell is Macsual, in Gaelic, from Mac, son, and sual, small, little.

(Scotch), anciently de Macusvill, Machus's town.

A location name in Roxburgh.

Maxwell: A Maccus was one of the gallant three who defended the bridge at Maldon in 991. Maccus was the name of one of David I.’s foreign favourites - probably Anglo-Norman - and he was given large possessions. He called his chief place of residence Maccusville.