Surname Manchester - Meaning and Origin
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Manchester: What does the surname Manchester mean?
The surname Manchester is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is a locational surname, meaning it is derived from a place name. The city of Manchester, in North West England, is the most famous bearer of this name. The name Manchester itself is derived from the old Roman name 'Mamucium' plus Anglo-Saxon suffix 'ceaster' meaning 'Roman town or city'. The name 'Mamucium' is believed to represent a Latinisation of an original Brittonic name, either derived from a word meaning "breast" (referring to the shape of the hill fort in which the city was first established) or from the name of a river goddess. So, people with the last name Manchester could have ancestors from the city of Manchester. Like many surnames taken from place names, it may have originated from the local dialect the area's residents spoke long ago. As families moved from place to place and as society became more complex, people began to adopt a second name to distinguish themselves and their families. Thus, the surname would have been given to someone who lived in or was originally from Manchester.
Order DNA origin analysisManchester: Where does the name Manchester come from?
The Manchester surname can be found across the UK, particularly in the north-west. The name is particularly commonplace in Lancashire, where it originated. It is believed to have been derived from the Old English term 'Mann Ceaster', meaning the settlement of a man called Cester. It is also thought to have originated from the 'hamme' suffix, which could refer to settlements or manor farmsteads, hence the name is often believed to mean a 'town or village on stony ground'.
Manchester is also a popular surname in the United States, though its roots there are quite different. Most of the American Manchesters descended from William Manchester, a Puritan who fled England to escape religious persecution. Since then, the Manchester surname has spread to other countries, including Canada, Ireland, Australia, and even South Africa.
The Manchester surname is a popular choice for parents in the United Kingdom, currently ranking as the 739th most common surname in the country. It is most often seen in Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Cumbria, West Yorkshire, and North and West Midlands. In the United States, the Manchester surname is the 844th most common, with three percent of bearers living in the state of Pennsylvania.
Variations of the surname Manchester
The surname Manchester is most commonly known to originate from the Manchester area of England, however it is likely to have French origin. Variants of this surname include Manchestor, Manchesterr, Manchster and Manchesster. There are also a number of spellings and surnames with the same origin as the Manchester surname, such as Marchand, Mancester, Mancaster, Marchant, and Mangham.
The origin of the Manchester surname is believed to have been derived from the Old French word 'marchands' which is derived from the Late Latin 'mercantem', meaning 'merchant'. The surname likely came to Manchester during the Middle Ages, as this was a period of great trade activity in the region.
Variations of the Manchester surname can be found in many countries around the world, such as in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In the United States, the variant spellings of the surname include Manchester, Manchestera, Manchester, Mancersetter, Manchestor, and Manchaster.
The variants of the Manchester surname all refer to a 'merchant', indicating that the surname likely originated with someone who was a merchant in either goods or services. In certain countries, during certain periods of time, the surname may even have been used to denote a noble family of merchants.
Regardless of origin, the variants of the same surname all still refer to the same historical location. The Manchester name and its associated variants will remain an integral part of the history and heritage of many nations around the world.
Famous people with the name Manchester
- Aaron Manchester: American football player
- Abbee Manchester: Actor
- Adam Manchester: Actor
- Victoria Manchester: Singer
- Elizabeth Manchester: Actress
- John Manchester: Diver
- Barrie Manchester: Actor
- Proteus Manchester: Actor
- Jimmy Manchester: Actor
- Homer Manchester: Actor
- Joseph Manchester: Actor
- Mary Manchester: Musician
- Ray Manchester: Actor
- Sydney Manchester: Actor
- William Manchester: Historian
- Melinda Manchester: Artist
- Ron Manchester: Astronomer
- Reed Manchester: Author
- H. Gordon Manchester: Lawyer
- Tiffany Manchester: Actress