Surname Mandeville - Meaning and Origin

Mandeville: What does the surname Mandeville mean?

The surname Mandeville is of French origin and derives from a place name, specifically the town of Mandeville in Normandy, France. The town's name, in turn, comes from the Old French "magneville", which is a compound of the elements "magne", meaning "great", and "ville", which means "town" or "settlement". Thus, the surname Mandeville essentially carries the meaning of "from the great town". People who bear this surname can often trace their ancestry back to someone who once lived in or came from this town in Normandy. It should be noted that during the Norman Conquest in the 11th century, many Norman names such as Mandeville were introduced to England and later became surnames. Notable people with the surname Mandeville include the medieval chronicler Sir John Mandeville and British athlete and TV presenter Ade Adepitan, who was made Baron Mandeville in 2019.

Mandeville: Where does the name Mandeville come from?

The surname Mandeville is of Norman origin and can be traced back to the times of William the Conqueror. It was first found in Essex, England where the family was granted lands after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The name is derived from a place in Eure, Normandy called 'Magneville' which translates to 'strong town' in Old French.

The Mandeville family reached a high social status in England with members of the family serving as knights, barons, and earls throughout the centuries. The distinguished surname Mandeville is closely associated with a significant number of records during the medieval period.

Today, the surname is distributed globally due to migration and the spread of the British Empire. It can be found in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, and of course, in England. Despite its spread, it remains relatively uncommon and is not frequently encountered. In the United States, for instance, the name Mandeville ranks as the 32,849th most common surname, showing that it is still quite rare.

Variations of the surname Mandeville

The surname Mandeville is of French origin, traced back to Norman times. It’s derived from a place in Normandy called "Magneville" which means 'big settlement'. There were significant regional differences in the spellings of French surnames in the early period, which means that the same person could be recorded under several different variations during a single lifetime.

Variant spellings of Mandeville include Manneville, Manville, Mandavill, Mandaville, Manderville, Mauneville, Mondaville, Mandyville, and so on. Some of these variations may have emerged due to personal preference, family modifications, or transcription errors by clerks and officials.

Moreover, the name may have been Anglicized upon the family's arrival in Britain or America, adding even more forms to the list. Surname adaptations happened often when families migrated to different countries or regions, which leads to the creation of variant spellings and surnames.

Furthermore, it's possible that some people with this surname, or a variation of it, chose to adopt a completely different family name, either by translation or simplification. As a result, names related to or originating from Mandeville may not always appear obviously connected. For example, English-language translations like "Bigtown" could theoretically be linked to the original French place name "Magneville".

Famous people with the name Mandeville

• Jean Mandeville: French physicist and astronomer, noted for popularizing the discoveries of Copernicus in the early 16th century.
• Walter Mandeville: English author and poet of the early 18th century.
• John Mandeville: Pseudonymous author of the medieval book of travels "The Travels of Sir John Mandeville.
• Amy Mandeville: British-American actress of stage and film.
• Francis Mandeville: English-born American planter in Virginia in the 1600s.
• Thomas Mandeville: 16th-century Flemish sculptor who created a series of life-sized wooden figures depicting Biblical scenes.
• Louis Mandeville: English-American architect in rural Virginia in the mid-1800s.
• Peter Mandeville: English scholar, popularizer and translator of Classical Greek texts.
• Charles Mandeville: American composer of early 20th-century classical music.
• William Mandeville: 17th-century Anglican priest who wrote extensively about church history.

Other surnames

Mandeviel