Maitland is an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

and Scottish surname. It arrived in Britain after the

Norman conquest The Norman Conquest (or the Conquest) was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army made up of thousands of Norman, Breton, Flemish, and French troops, all led by the Duke of Normandy, later styled William the Con ...

of 1066. There are two theories about its source. It is either a nickname reference to "bad temper/disposition" (

Old French Old French (, , ; Modern French: ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France from approximately the 8th to the 14th centuries. Rather than a unified language, Old French was a linkage of Romance dialects, mutually intellig ...

, ''Maltalent''; Anglo Norman French, ''mautalent/Mautalen'';

Latin Latin (, or , ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally a dialect spoken in the lower Tiber area (then known as Latium) around present-day Rome, but through the power of the ...

''malum talentum''), or it may be a locational reference to Mautalant, a place in

Pontorson Pontorson () is a commune in the Manche department in north-western France. On 1 January 2016, the former communes of Macey and Vessey were merged into Pontorson. Geography Pontorson is situated about 10 kilometres from the Mont Saint-Miche ...

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

. The

Brittany Brittany (; french: link=no, Bretagne ; br, Breizh, or ; Gallo: ''Bertaèyn'' ) is a peninsula, historical country and cultural area in the west of modern France, covering the western part of what was known as Armorica during the period ...

connection is less likely than that with

Les Moitiers-d'Allonne Les Moitiers-d'Allonne () is a commune in the Manche department in Normandy in north-western France See also *Communes of the Manche department The following is a list of the 446 Communes of France, communes of the Manche Departments of France ...

, near Carteret in the

Cotentin The Cotentin Peninsula (, ; nrf, Cotentîn ), also known as the Cherbourg Peninsula, is a peninsula in Normandy that forms part of the northwest coast of France. It extends north-westward into the English Channel, towards Great Britain. To its w ...

. Mautalents continue to live in and near Les Moitiers-d'Allonne, and the early medieval charters link the Maltalents of

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

and

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

with the Morville family – originating from Morville, near Valonges, and Roger de Mowbray, whose family came from Aubigny, also nearby. The name gradually mutated to Mautalent and then Maitland, with the latter spelling appearing around 1250 and becoming settled in the late 14th century. The earliest public record of the surname in Britain, after the Battle Abbey Roll of 1066, dates to 1138 in

Northumberland Northumberland () is a county in Northern England, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland. Notable landmarks in the county include Alnwick Castle, Bamburgh Castle, Hadrian's Wall and Hexham Abbey. It is bordered by land ...

when Robert Maltalent witnessed a charter of Roger de Mowbray in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

. The

Clan Maitland Clan Maitland is a Lowland Scottish clan. History Origins of the clan The name Maitland is of Norman origin and was originally spelt Mautalent, Mautalen, Matulant or Matalan, it translates as "evil genius". It is claimed that the Maitlands d ...

is a lowland

Scottish clan A Scottish clan (from Gaelic , literally 'children', more broadly 'kindred') is a kinship group among the Scottish people. Clans give a sense of shared identity and descent to members, and in modern times have an official structure recognised ...

, the chief of which holds the title

Earl of Lauderdale Earl of Lauderdale is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. The current holder of the title is Ian Maitland, 18th Earl of Lauderdale. The title was created in 1624 for John Maitland, 2nd Lord Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire. The second Ea ...

. The Earl's coat of arms features a lion rampant with all its joints cut off, forming a pun on the old version of the name (''Mautalent'' sounding like the word 'mutilate').

People with this surname

* Adam Maitland (1885–1949), British Conservative Party politician * Agnes Catherine Maitland (1850-1906), principal of Somerville College, Oxford * Brianna Maitland (born 1986), American teenager who disappeared in 2004 * Charles Maitland, 3rd Earl of Lauderdale (c. 1620–1691), Scottish judge *

Clover Maitland Clover Maitland (born 14 March 1972 in Maryborough, Queensland) represents Australia in women's field hockey. The goalie was part of the double winning Olympic team in 1996 and 2000 along with the gold medal winning team in the ...

(b. 1972), Australian women's field hockey player *

Dalrymple Maitland Dalrymple Maitland, JP (22 March 1848 – 25 March 1919) was an Isle of Man business leader and public official who served as a member of the House of Keys starting in 1890, and as Speaker of the House of Keys from 1909 to 1919. A native of L ...

(1848-1919), Liverpool born businessman who became

Speaker of the House of Keys The Speaker of the House of Keys () is the principal officer of the House of Keys, the lower house of the Isle of Man legislature. The Speaker is elected from the membership of the House at its first sitting after an election. He is responsibl ...

Edward Maitland Edward Maitland (27 October 18242 October 1897) was an English humanitarian writer and occultist. Life He was born at Ipswich on 27 October 1824, was the son of Charles David Maitland, perpetual curate of St. James's Chapel, Brighton; he was ...

(1824–1897), English humanitarian writer *

Edward Maitland (RAF officer) Air Commodore Edward Maitland Maitland, (born Edward Maitland Gee; 21 February 1880 – 24 August 1921) was an early military aviator who served in the Air Battalion of the Royal Engineers, the Royal Flying Corps, the Royal Naval Air Service a ...

(1880–1921), British military aviator *

Emma Maitland Emma Knox Maitland (17 May 1844 – 13 June 1923) was a United Kingdom suffragist and educationist. Life Maitland was born in Tenby in 1844. Her father was a JP but he died when she was young. She had six children with Frederick Maitland whom s ...

(1844–1923), British suffragist *

Frederic William Maitland Frederic William Maitland (28 May 1850 – ) was an English historian and lawyer who is regarded as the modern father of English legal history. Early life and education, 1850–72 Frederic William Maitland was born at 53 Guilford Street, L ...

(1850–1906), English jurist and historian *

Frederick Lewis Maitland (Royal Navy officer, born 1730) Frederick Lewis Maitland (19 January 1730 – 16 Dec 1786) was a distinguished officer of the Royal Navy. Maitland was born the sixth son of Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauderdale, and Lady Elizabeth Ogilvie. His younger brother Col the Hon. ...

(1730–1786), captain in the Royal Navy *

Frederick Lewis Maitland Rear-Admiral Sir Frederick Lewis Maitland (7 September 177730 November 1839) was an officer in the Royal Navy during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He rose to the rank of rear admiral and held a number of commands. The most ...

(1777–1839), son of the above, Rear admiral in the Royal Navy *

Frederick Maitland General Frederick Maitland (3 September 1763 – 27 January 1848) was a British Army officer who fought during the American War of Independence, the Peninsular War and later served as Lieutenant Governor of Dominica. Life The youngest son ...

(1763–1848), English General, Napoleonic era *

Henry Maitland Wilson Field Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron Wilson, (5 September 1881 – 31 December 1964), also known as Jumbo Wilson, was a senior British Army officer of the 20th century. He saw active service in the Second Boer War and then during the ...

(1881–1964), British Army general *

James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale James Maitland, 8th Earl of Lauderdale (26 January 1759 – 10 September 1839) was Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland and a representative peer for Scotland in the House of Lords. Early years Born at Haltoun House near Ratho, the eldest s ...

(1759–1839), economist and representative peer for Scotland in the House of Lords * Sir James Heriot-Maitland (1837–1902), British Army general * James Maitland Stewart (1908–1997), American actor, widely known as James Stewart or Jimmy Stewart *

John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane John Maitland, 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1537 – 3 October 1595), of Lethington, Knight (1581), was Lord Chancellor of Scotland. Life He was the second son of Sir Richard Maitland of Thirlestane, Berwickshire, and Lethington, Haddi ...

(1537–1595), Lord Chancellor of Scotland * John Maitland, 1st Duke of Lauderdale (1616–1682), Scottish politician, and leader within the Cabal Ministry *

John Maitland (British Army officer) Lieutenant-Colonel John Maitland (1732 – 25 October 1779) was a British Marine and Army officer and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1779. Maitland was the eighth surviving son of Charles Maitland, 6th Earl of Lauder ...

(1732–1779), British military officer *

John Maitland (Royal Navy officer) John Maitland (1771 – 20 October 1836) was an officer of the Royal Navy, who saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, eventually rising to the rank of Rear-Admiral. Family and early life Maitland was born in Scotl ...

(1771–1836), Royal Navy admiral *

John Maitland (Conservative politician) Sir John Francis Whitaker Maitland (24 March 1903 – 17 November 1977) was a Conservative Party politician in the United Kingdom. In the 1945 general election, he was elected as Member of Parliament for the safe Conservative seat of Horncastl ...

(1903–1977), British politician in the Conservative party (Tory) *

John Alexander Fuller Maitland John Alexander Fuller Maitland (7 April 1856 – 30 March 1936) was an influential British music critic and scholar from the 1880s to the 1920s. He encouraged the rediscovery of English music of the 16th and 17th centuries, particularly Henry Pur ...

(1856–1936), British music critic and scholar *

Kier Maitland Kier Maitland (born November 16, 1988, in Edmonton, Alberta) is a male swimmer from Canada, who mostly competes in the distance freestyle events. Maitland is the son of Craig and Karen Maitland and has an older brother named Logan. Club swimming ...

(born 1988), Canadian freestyle swimmer * Lady Olga Maitland (born 1944), British politician * Lillias Maitland (1862–1932), one of the first women graduates from a Scottish University, University of Edinburgh 1893 *

Mary Maitland Mary Maitland (born about 1550, died 1596) was a Scottish writer believed to be the transcriber of the Quarto Volume of the Maitland Manuscripts, an important source for the Scots language, Scots literature of the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Centuri ...

(1550-1596), Scottish writer * Mary Ann Maitland (1839-1919), Canadian writer *

Peregrine Maitland General Sir Peregrine Maitland, GCB (6 July 1777 – 30 May 1854) was a British soldier and colonial administrator. He also was a first-class cricketer from 1798 to 1808 and an early advocate for the establishment of what would become the Canad ...

(1777–1854), British soldier and colonial administrator *

Richard Maitland Sir Richard Maitland of Lethington and Thirlstane (1496 – 1 August 1586) was a Senator of the College of Justice, an Ordinary Lord of Session from 1561 until 1584, and notable Scottish poet. He was served heir to his father, Sir William Maitl ...

(1496–1586), Scottish poet, Senator of the College of Justice, Ordinary Lord of Session *

Royal Maitland Royal Lethington (Pat) Maitland (January 9, 1889 – March 28, 1946) was a Canadian lawyer and politician. He served as Deputy Premier and the Attorney General of British Columbia in the coalition government of Premier John Hart. He als ...

(1898–1946), Canadian politician in British Columbia *

Samuel Roffey Maitland Samuel Roffey Maitland (1792–1866) was an English historian and miscellaneous writer on religious topics. He was qualified as an Anglican priest, and worked also as a librarian, barrister and editor. Early life Maitland was born in London at Ki ...

(1792–1866), English priest and religious historian *

Sara Maitland Sara Maitland (born 27 February 1950) is a British writer of religious fantasy. A novelist, she is also known for her short stories. Her work has a magic realist tendency. Life and career Sarah (later "Sara") Louise Maitland was born in London ...

(born 1950), British writer *

Sean Maitland Sean Daniel Maitland (born 14 September 1988) is a New Zealand-born Scottish rugby union player. He plays for Saracens in the RFU Premiership. He previously played for London Irish and before that for Glasgow Warriors in the PRO12, Crusaders i ...

(born 1988), New Zealand born Scottish rugby union player *

Thomas Maitland (British Army officer) Lieutenant General The Right Honourable Sir Thomas Maitland (10 March 1760 – 17 January 1824) was a British soldier and British colonial governor. He also served as a Member of Parliament for Haddington from 1790 to 1796, 1802–06 and 1812 ...

(1759–1824), British colonial governor and general *

Thomas Maitland, Lord Dundrennan Thomas Maitland, Lord Dundrennan (9 October 1792 – 10 June 1851) was a Scottish lawyer and judge. He was Solicitor General for Scotland between 1840 and 1841 and again between 1846 and 1850. He was also Member of Parliament A member of par ...

(1792–1851), Scottish judge *

Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale Admiral of the Fleet Thomas Maitland, 11th Earl of Lauderdale, (3 February 1803 – 1 September 1878) was a Royal Navy officer and peer. As a junior officer he saw action supporting the blockade of Algiers by Greek revolutionaries in July 182 ...

(1803–1878), British naval officer *

William Maitland of Lethington William Maitland of Lethington (15259 June 1573) was a Scottish politician and reformer, and the eldest son of poet Richard Maitland. Life He was educated at the University of St Andrews. William was the renowned "Secretary Lethington" to ...

(1525–1573), 'Secretary Lethington' to Mary, Queen of Scots * William Maitland (c.1693–1757), historian and topographer, ''History of London from Its Foundation to the Present Time''

In popular culture

*Barbara and Adam Maitland, of the 1988 film ''

Beetlejuice ''Beetlejuice'' is a 1988 American fantasy horror comedy film directed by Tim Burton, written by Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, and Warren Skaaren, produced by The Geffen Company, distributed by Warner Bros., and starring Alec Baldwin, ...

'' *Victor Maitland, fictional villain of the 1984 film ''

Beverly Hills Cop ''Beverly Hills Cop'' is a 1984 American buddy cop action comedy film directed by Martin Brest, screenplay by Daniel Petrie Jr., story by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr., and starring Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley, a street-smart Detroit cop ...

References

External links

The website of Clan Maitland in lowland Scotland
{{Surname Surnames of Lowland Scottish origin