Menzies is a

Scottish Scottish usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including: *Scottish Gaelic, a Celtic Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family native to Scotland *Scottish English *Scottish national identity, the Scottish ide ...

surname, with

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

forms being Méinnearach and Méinn, and other variant forms being Menigees, Mennes, Mengzes, Menzeys, Mengies, and Minges.

Derivation and history

The name and its Gaelic form are probably derived from the

Norman Norman or Normans may refer to: Ethnic and cultural identity * The Normans, a people partly descended from Norse Vikings who settled in the territory of Normandy in France in the 10th and 11th centuries ** People or things connected with the Norm ...

name Mesnières, from the town of

Mesnières-en-Bray Mesnières-en-Bray (, literally ''Mesnières in Bray'') is a commune in the Seine-Maritime department in the Normandy region in northern France. The town is the origin of the Scottish name Menzies. Geography A forestry and farming village situa ...

in Normandy. David Hey
Clan Menzies website
/ref>

Pronunciation

The name is traditionally pronounced — and still is in Scotland — . The current spelling arose when the similar-looking tailed variant of the letter (i.e., ) was used as a substitute for the now obsolete letter (

yogh The letter yogh (ȝogh) ( ; Scots: ; Middle English: ) was used in Middle English and Older Scots, representing ''y'' () and various velar phonemes. It was derived from the Insular form of the letter ''g''. In Middle English writing, tailed z ...

) in the Scots language (). However, outside Scotland it is often erroneously given the spelling-pronunciation . A Scottish limerick plays on the traditional, correct pronunciation:

There wis a young lassie named Menzies, That askit her aunt whit this thenzies. Said her aunt wi a gasp, "Ma dear, it's a wasp, An you're haudin the end whaur the stenzies!"

The second and fifth lines are pronounced as though the were a <>, making "thing is" and "sting is", to rhyme with "Menzies". "Wasp" rhymes with "gasp" in Scots.

As a surname

Alan W. C. Menzies Prof Alan Wilfrid Cranbrook Menzies FRSE (pronounced ''MING-iss''; 31 July 1877 – 8 September 1966) was a Scottish-born chemist who later taught at Princeton University. Life Menzies was born in Edinburgh on 31 July 1877, son of Thomas Hunter M ...

, Scots-born chemist and professor of Chemistry at Princeton University *

Alex Menzies Alex "Big Ming" Menzies was a Scottish professional footballer, who played for Cowdenbeath and Stirling Albion amongst others. A former coal-miner, (Ferguson 2006) Menzies joined Cowdenbeath, his hometown club, in 1948. Menzies, a tough-tacklin ...

, Scottish football player *

Alex Menzies (footballer, born 1882) Alexander William Menzies (25 November 1882 – 1964) was a Scottish footballer who played as a forward for Heart of Midlothian and Manchester United in the 1900s. Born in Blantyre, South Lanarkshire, Menzies began his football career with loc ...

, Scottish international football player * Archibald Menzies (1754–1842), British medic and biologist; ship's doctor and naturalist on board George Vancouver's voyage to the North Pacific * Beryl Menzies (married name Beryl Fowler, 1881–1963), English painter * Charles Menzies, anthropologist * Charles Menzies (1783–1866), Royal Marines officer *

David Menzies David Menzies was a Scottish football player and manager. Career Menzies was a player at Raith Rovers where his father was chairman. In 1903 he joined newly formed English side Bradford City as a reserve player. He also served as a steward and t ...

, Canadian journalist *

Douglas Menzies Sir Douglas Ian Menzies KBE (7 September 190729 November 1974) was an Australian judge, serving as a Justice of the High Court of Australia. He was also Chancellor of Monash University from 1968 until his death in 1974. Early life Menzies w ...

, former Justice of the

High Court of Australia The High Court of Australia is Australia's apex court. It exercises Original jurisdiction, original and appellate jurisdiction on matters specified within Constitution of Australia, Australia's Constitution. The High Court was established fol ...

* Sir Frederick Menzies, British physician * Gavin Menzies, retired British submarine captain and author * George Menzies, New Zealand rugby league footballer * Gina Menzies, Irish media personality * Heather Menzies (1949–2017), Canadian actress * Henry Menzies (1867–1938), Scottish rugby player * Hugh Menzies (1857–1925), Australian politician *

Ivan Menzies J. Ivan "Jimmy" Menzies (1896 – 19 April 1985) was an English singer and actor, best known for his performances in the comic baritone roles of the Savoy Operas with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in Britain in the 1920s and the J. C. Willi ...

(1896–1985), singer and actor * James Menzies, New Zealand politician * James Menzies (Wisconsin politician) (1830–1913), American politician * John Menzies, businessman *

John A. Menzies The Court of King's Bench of Manitoba (french: Cour du Banc du Roi du Manitoba)—or the Court of Queen’s Bench of Manitoba, depending on the monarch—is the superior court of the Canadian province of Manitoba. The court is divided into tw ...

, Manitoba judge *

John K. Menzies John K. Menzies (1948 – March 26, 2022) was dean of the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University. Menzies served as President of the American University of Kurdistan. Located in the Duhok Governor ...

, former US-Bosnian ambassador and academic *

Karen Menzies Karen Menzies (born 1962) is known for being the first Indigenous Australian association footballer in the Australia women's national soccer team. She played seven games for the Matildas in the period 1983–1989. Early life Menzies grew up in t ...

(born 1962), Australian footballer *

Karl Menzies Karl Menzies (born 17 June 1977) is a professional road bicycle racer riding for UCI Continental team . He finished second in the 2006 USA Cycling National Racing Calendar to Floyd Landis. Menzies turned professional in 2005, he spent one seaso ...

, Australian cyclist * Mark Menzies, Scottish Conservative MP *

Neal Menzies Neal Menzies (born 7 December 1959) is an Australian professor of soil science at Griffith University. In his early adult years, he completed a bachelor of agricultural science (hons) in 1985, a master of agricultural studies in 1987, and a PhD ...

, Australian Professor of Soil Science *

Peter Menzies Jr. Peter Gary Menzies Jr., is an Australian cinematographer best known for his work on Blockbuster film, blockbuster action films such as ''Die Hard with a Vengeance'', ''Lara Croft: Tomb Raider'', ''The Incredible Hulk (film), The Incredible Hulk, ...

, Australian cinematographer * Sir

Robert Menzies The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

(1894-1978), Australia's longest-serving Prime Minister, who pronounced his own name in the Scottish fashion *

Sadie Menzies Sadie Menzies (19141996) was a founder member of the Revolutionary Workers Group and the Communist Party of Ireland. Biography Sadie Menzies was born in Newtownards in 1914. Her mother worked in a mill while her father worked for famous loca ...

(1914–1996), founder member of the Revolutionary Workers Group * Steve Menzies, Australian rugby league player * Stewart Menzies, Head of British Secret Intelligence Service 1939–1952 *

Ted Menzies Ted Menzies (born February 18, 1952) is a former Canadian politician. He represented the electoral district of Macleod in the House of Commons of Canada and served as Minister of State for Finance before being replaced by Kevin Sorenson. He re ...

, Canadian politician (MP) *

Tobias Menzies Tobias Simpson Menzies (born 7 March 1974) is an English stage, television and film actor. He is known for playing Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh in the third and fourth seasons of Netflix's series ''The Crown'', for which he won the Primetime ...

, British actor * William Cameron Menzies (1896–1957), American film director

As a given name

* Iain Menzies Banks, Scottish writer, penname used for his science fiction works * Walter

Menzies Campbell Walter Menzies Campbell, Baron Campbell of Pittenweem, (; born 22 May 1941), often known as Ming Campbell, is a British Liberal Democrat politician, advocate and former athlete. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for North East Fife from ...

, former leader of the Liberal Democrats in the United Kingdom

Footnotes

References