May Coat of Arms, Family Crest and May Family History

May Family History

The family history of the ancient name May was found in the irishsurnames.com archives.

Surnames developed a wide number of variants over the centuries. Many different spelling variations of the same name can be traced back to a single original root. Also, when a bearer of a name emigrated from Ireland it was not uncommon that their original name would be incorrectly transcribed in the record books upon arrival at their new location. Some names have dozens of spelling variations. Some Surnames were also altered over the years based on how they sounded phonetically, by their sound, and depending on the prevailing political conditions it may have been advantageous to change a name from one language to another. This was especially so in Ireland where most Gaelic names were 'anglicized' at some stage.

Variants of the name May include Mea, Mawe, Mayo, Mee, Mea, Maye, Mey and Meye. Meaning 'the may', a nickname for a young lad or girl, this name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout these countries. Examples of such are a Richard le Mey, Huntingdonshire, and a Bateman le May, Bedfordshire, who were recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273. A Willemus May was recorded in the 'Poll Tax' of the West Riding of Yorkshire in the year 1379. In Scotland, a William May rendered homage at Berwick, in the year 1291, and a David May had a feu of the lands of Chapeltoun from the Abbey of Culross in the year 1597. In Ireland this name is derived from the native Gaelic O'Miadhaigh Sept, who were located at Teffia in County Westmeath. The placename Clonyveey, meaning 'O'Mey's Meadow' still exists there to this very day.The May family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including May descendants.