Surname Masters - Meaning and Origin

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W. Masters

Masters: What does the surname Masters mean?

The last name Masters is of Old English origin and has two primary interpretations. First, it can denote a person who is a master in their crafts or profession - an expert or a skilled worker. The term "master" originally referred to someone who was in charge or had authority over others, particularly within a trade guild; an employer or manager of a household. It can also be traced back to Latin "magister" which means a person having control or authority.

Secondly, it could mean “the son of Master” which is a patronymic, indicating the father’s name was Master. The "-s" or "-'s" ending often signifies "son of" in British surnames. Many surnames were formulated this way in early English culture.

Surnames were first used in medieval times as a way to distinguish between individuals with the same given name. Some of the earliest records of the surname "Masters" could be found in British and Irish church and tax records dating back to 12th and 13th centuries. Famous people with the name include American poets Edgar Lee Masters and Sylvia Plath (born Sylvia Plath Masters).

Masters: Where does the name Masters come from?

The surname Masters is of English origin and has been used as both a patronymic and occupational surname. As a patronymic name, ‘Master’ would mean “the son of Master” with the 's' denoting 'son of'. As an occupational surname, it would refer to a master craftsman or someone who was in charge of an organization or trade, generating meanings like “the master of the house” or “master at arms”. Alternatively, it may have also been bestowed upon those who acted the part of a master in a medieval play or pageant.

The name Masters is found in countries with strong historical ties to Britain due to immigration and colonization. English speaking countries such as the United States, Australia, England, Canada and New Zealand have a high prevalence of the name today. According to Forebears, Masters is most common in England, ranking as the 167th most common surname, and is also particularly frequent in Australia, where it is the 490th most common surname.

Variations of the surname Masters

The surname Masters has several variants and can be spelled in numerous ways due to regional differences and phonetic translations. Some of these variants and spellings include Mastes, Masterson, Mester, Master, Maste, Masterman, Mastro, Maisters, Maister, and Meisters.

In different countries and languages, the surname might exist in a slightly different form or spelling, such as Meester in Dutch, Maistre in French, Maestro in Italian and Spanish, Meister in German, and Mistrz in Polish, all meaning 'master' in their respective languages.

The surnames may contain prefixes or suffixes which often give additional meaning or signify profession, location, or descent. For instance, the surname Masterson means 'the son of Master'.

Some of these surnames could originate from the role of the family in society during the Middle Ages, possibly indicating a connection to craftsmanship or trade. This surname was usually given to those who were masters of their profession, passed down through generations along with the skill and role in the society.

It's worth noting that due to the evolution of language over time and changes in spelling and pronunciation, the surname can have further variations not listed here.

Famous people with the name Masters

• Tiger Woods: is an American professional golfer noted for his numerous golf tournament wins throughout his career, and is widely considered to be one of the greatest golfers of all time.
• Master P: is an American rapper, actor, businessman, and philanthropist. He is the founder of the record label No Limit Records, which was a major force in the surge of southern rap in the late 1990s.
• Samuel L. Jackson: is an American Actor and Filmmaker with acclaimed roles in a variety of films ranging from Die Hard to Star Wars to Snakes on a Plane as well as award winning performances on stage.
• Mel Masters: is a Canadian curler from Saskatchewan. Masters is a five-time provincial titleholder, and is also a 2011 Brier champion.
• Lord Milo Masters: is a British television personality. He is best known for presenting BBC shows such as Come Dine with Me, Junior MasterChef, The Apprentice and The Great British Sewing Bee.
• John Masters: is an American hairdresser and businessman. He started out with his own hairstyling business and later expanded into into the John Masters Organics line of hair and skincare products.
• Jeff Masters: is an American meteorologist and founder of the Weather Underground website. He hosts the popular WunderBlog and is a frequent contributor to mainstream media outlets including CNN and The Weather Channel.
• Marcus Masters: is an American film and television actor. He is best known for playing the lead role in the hit ABC romantic comedy series, The Middle, which ran for nine seasons.
• Ventris Masters: is an American writer. He is best known for his fantasy and science fiction novels, some of which have been made into films.
• Nick Masters: is an English footballer. He was a professional player in the English Premier League for 20 years, playing for Blackburn Rovers, Derby County and Fulham FC.

Other surnames

MastenMasterMasterson