Mayor is a French surname

Surname

A surname is a name added to a given name and is part of a personal name. In many cases, a surname is a family name. Many dictionaries define "surname" as a synonym of "family name"...

 of Viking

Viking

The term Viking is customarily used to refer to the Norse explorers, warriors, merchants, and pirates who raided, traded, explored and settled in wide areas of Europe, Asia and the North Atlantic islands from the late 8th to the mid-11th century.These Norsemen used their famed longships to...

 or Norman

Normans

The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...

 origin. The Normans were Viking warriors who settled in Normandy

Normandy

Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...

, France, the region gaining its name from the Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

 Normannium meaning "Men of the North".

The Mayor surname can be found mostly in France

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

 and Switzerland

Switzerland

Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....

 but also in England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

, where the Normans settled in large numbers following the invasion and conquest by Duke William of Normandy, who became King William I of England

William I of England

William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...

 in 1066. The first Mayor families to arrive in England were awarded land by William the Conqueror for their distinguished service at the Battle of Hastings

Battle of Hastings

The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...

 in 1066.

The Mayor surname originates from, and is a variant of, the name Mauger

Mauger (French name)

Mauger is a Norman surname of Germanic origin. The second element of the name "ger" means "spear", while the first element was perhaps "mol" to sharpen. The previous form was Malger, Malgerius. Besides northern France, the surname Mauger is frequently found in the Channel Islands, particularly...

, and carries the meanings of "council spear" and "authority", which itself is derived from the Latin magnus meaning "great one" or "leader".

The original Mayor/Mauger coat of arms

Coat of arms

A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...

 is composed of a knight's helmet, a red greyhound to indicate courage, vigilance and loyalty, three red roses, and a ships anchor to indicate religious steadfastness. This theme is also reflected in the Mayor/Mauger family motto, Mea anchora Christus, meaning "Christ is my anchor". These symbols are set against a red and yellow backdrop to indicate the colours that make up the Flag of Normandy

Flag of Normandy

The flag of Normandy is a symbol of Normandy. The traditional provincial flag, gules, two leopards passant or, is used in both modern regions of France...

. The colour red in a coat of arms also indicates the status of warrior.

As a title, the term Mayor

Mayor

In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....

 is still used to indicate the head of a town and this is a good indication of its original meaning.

List of persons with the surname

• Federico Mayor Zaragoza (born 1934), Spanish scholar and politician
• John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor
  John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor
  John Eyton Bickersteth Mayor was an English classical scholar.He was born at Baddegama, Sri Lanka , and returned to England to be educated at Shrewsbury School and St John's College, Cambridge....
  
   (1825–1910), English classical scholar
• Michel Mayor
  Michel Mayor
  Dr. Michel G. E. Mayor is a Swiss astrophysicist and professor emeritus at the University of Geneva's Department of Astronomy. He formally retired in 2007, but remains active as a researcher at the Observatory of Geneva...
  
  (born 1942), Swiss Astronomy professor at the University of Geneva

External links

• Noms de famille Suisses-Famille Mayor (French Language)
• Origines des familles apparaissant dans la généalogie de la famille Mayor et des familles alliées (French Language)
• Généalogie de la famille MAYOR de Grancour (VD) et Neuchâtel (French Language)
• Origine des Mayor (French Language)