Surname Maidlen - Meaning and Origin
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Maidlen: What does the surname Maidlen mean?
The last name Maidlen is of English origin and has various spellings and variations. It is a habitational surname derived from the place name Maiden in Berkshire, England. The name is derived from the Old English word "maedene," meaning "maiden," which originated from "maegth," a common element found in Anglo-Saxon place names. Maiden was originally recorded in the Domesday Book as 'Maedaene' in 1086.
The surname typically refers to one's family or lineage as having come from the place of Maiden. The earliest recorded spelling of the surname is 'Maiden', which appears in 1255 in the Cambridgeshire Feet of Fines. Later forms of the surname include Maden, Madame and Maidon. After the Norman Conquest, the spread of the surname was more widespread, with references from Kent, Durham, Suffolk, Sussex, Buckinghamshire and Yorkshire.
The modern day surname can be found in various forms in the United States and the United Kingdom. It is a popular last name among English families and individuals, with Maidlen itself being the 7,968th most popular name in the United States. It is believed to be most concentrated in the states of Alabama, Georgia, New York, and Pennsylvania.
Order DNA origin analysisMaidlen: Where does the name Maidlen come from?
The last name Maidlen is not a particularly common name today, although it has a long history of use in the English-speaking world. Records of the name can be found in medieval English documents, suggesting it has been used for centuries. Today, Maidlen is more frequently encountered in the United States, where it is most strongly concentrated in North Carolina. However, there are also families of the name present in parts of Canada, such as Ontario. In terms of the distribution worldwide, Maidlen is also present in the United Kingdom and Ireland, although in much smaller numbers than in North America.
The etymological origins of the name are uncertain, but it is likely derived from the Anglo-Saxon ‘maiden’, meaning ‘young or virgin woman’ – suggesting it was a name originally given to unmarried women, as opposed to married women, who would be described as a ‘wife’. Records within the United States reveal that the name has been in use since at least the mid-18th century. It is not known when or from where the family first immigrated to North America, but the fact that the name is found in both Britain and North Carolina suggests it was probably relatively early.
Variations of the surname Maidlen
Maidlen is a medieval English surname of uncertain origin. One theory suggests that the name is derived from the Old Nordic personal name Mæthil, a diminutive form of Mæthir or Matheir. The alternative spelling Mathlen is a variant spelling of this name.
Maiden is believed to be an alternate spelling of the surname Maidlen, possibly derived as an occupational name to describe someone who guarded the maidens in a castle. The surname Maidlen could also be derived from the place-name Maidley in Suffolk, which was derived from the Anglo-Saxon for “homestead where meadows are”.
Other variations of the surname Maidlen include Maudlen, Maddlen, Madlyn, Madlien, Maudlin, Maiden, Maedel, and Maedl. Common surnames sharing the same origin comprise of Maudell, Madle, Madlin, and Madelin.
Maidlen is an unusual surname and is not found in many records or directories. However, there are records of the name being used in some parts of England in the early sixteen hundreds. It is believed that some members of the Maidlen family moved to Ireland from England in the mid-seventeenth century and the surname is still present in Ireland today.
The Maiden name could also have a Jewish origin. Some historians suggest that the Maiden surname comes from the Hebrew name Matania, which means “Divine Gift”, and refers to the Jewish Messianic expectation.
Famous people with the name Maidlen
- Leslie Maidlen Lee: an American dancer and choreographer.
- Jessie Maidlen Brown: an English film and television actress.
- Ann-Margret Maidlen: a Swedish-born American actress, singer, and dancer.
- Alexander Maidlen: an English actor, singer, and composer.
- Sam Maidlen: an English professional footballer.
- Joshua Maidlen: a Scottish actor and comedian.
- John Maidlen: an American actor, producer, and director.
- Elsie Maidlen: a Canadian-born American artist and sculptor.
- Iola Maidlen: an American modern dancer, choreographer and supported sickle cell anemia.
- Michael Maidlen: a Canadian-American filmmaker, visual effects supervisor, and actor.