Contents [hide]

Medlin History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Australia New Zealand West Indies

Contemporary Notables Related Stories Motto Citations

Medlin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Etymology of Medlin

What does the name Medlin mean?

From the historical and enchanting region of Scotland emerged a multitude of noble families, including the distinguished Medlin family name. Originally, the Scottish people were known only by a single name. Surnames evolved during the Middle Ages when people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. The Medlin surname is generally thought to derive from the Anglo-Norman French word "maltalent," or "mautalent," meaning "bad temper," in turn from the Late Latin "malum," meaning "bad," and "talentum," meaning "inclination," or "disposition." As such, the surname is said to be a nickname surname; originally used for someone with this characteristic. However, there was also a place called Mautalant in Pontorson, France, which may have been a source for the surname.

Early Origins of the Medlin family

The surname Medlin was first found in Berwickshire an ancient county of Scotland, presently part of the Scottish Borders Council Area, located in the eastern part of the Borders Region of Scotland, where they came from England following 1066. Instances of the name were fairly common in Northumberland during the 12th and 13th centuries. One reference claims the name was thought to have been derived from a place in the parish of Inveresk in the county of Edinburgh called Magdalen Pans, which evolved to Maitland Pans, from a chapel dedicated to St. Mary Magdalen, which formerly stood there.1 Whatever the origin, it seems the first on record in Scotland was Thomas de Matalant, who was settled in Berwick during the reign of William the Lion, King of Scots from 1165 to 1214.

Early History of the Medlin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Medlin research. Another 216 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1486, 1525, 1537, 1568, 1573, 1586, 1587, 1590, 1595, 1616, 1620, 1624, 1645, 1653, 1655, 1682, 1691, 1695, 1710, 1745 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Medlin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Medlin Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Maitland, Matland, Maltland, Maltalent, Matlain and others.

Early Notables of the Medlin family

Notable among the family at this time was Sir Richard Maitland (1486-1586), lawyer and poet; John Maitland (1537-1595), created 1st Lord Maitland of Thirlestane (1590), and Lord Chancellor of Scotland (1586); John Maitland, 1st Earl of Lauderdale, Viscount of Lauderdale, Viscount Maitland, and Lord Thirlestane and Boltoun, (died 1645), President of the Scottish Parliament; and...
Another 55 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Medlin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Medlin Ranking

In the United States, the name Medlin is the 3,374^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 2

Migration of the Medlin family to Ireland

Some of the Medlin family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Medlin migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Medlin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Alf Medlin, aged 40, who settled in America from Cornwall, in 1892
Annie Medlin, aged 21, who immigrated to America from Falmouth, in 1892
Miss Annie Medlin, (b. 1871), aged 21, Cornish settler, from Falmouth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Britannic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 13th May 1892 en route to Jersey City, New Jersey, USA 3
Mr. Theodore Medlin, (b. 1871), aged 21, Cornish mason, from Falmouth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Britannic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 13th May 1892 en route to Jersey City, New Jersey, USA 3
Flora Medlin, aged 2, who settled in America, in 1894

Medlin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mr. Theodore Medlin, (b. 1871), aged 29, Cornish labourer travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 31st March 1900 en route to New York, USA 3
Mr. John Medlin, (b. 1884), aged 19, Cornish miner travelling aboard the ship "St Paul" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 6th June 1903 en route to Hancock, Michigan, USA 3
Miss Louisa Ann Medlin, (b. 1868), aged 35, Cornish dressmaker, from St Austell, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "Oceanic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 29th April 1903 en route to Nevada City, California, USA 3
Mr. Henry Medlin, (b. 1882), aged 22, Cornish plumber, from Falmouth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 16th July 1904 en route to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 3
Mr. Henry Medlin, (b. 1882), aged 22, Cornish plumber, from Falmouth, Cornwall, UK travelling aboard the ship "New York" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 24th July 1904 en route to Pennsylvania, USA 3
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Medlin migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Medlin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Medlin, (b. 1821), aged 31, Cornish miner departing from Falmouth in April 1852 aboard the ship "Augusta Schneider" arriving in Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia on 24th August 1852 4
Mrs. Jane Medlin, (b. 1814), aged 38, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth in April 1852 aboard the ship "Augusta Schneider" arriving in Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia on 24th August 1852 4
Mr. Charles Medlin, Jr., (b. 1845), aged 7, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth in April 1852 aboard the ship "Augusta Schneider" arriving in Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia on 24th August 1852 4
Miss Jane Medlin, (b. 1852), aged 6 months, Cornish settler departing from Falmouth in April 1852 aboard the ship "Augusta Schneider" arriving in Port Phillip, Victoria, Australia on 24th August 1852 4
Thomas Medlin, aged 48, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Hooghly" 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Medlin migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Medlin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

James Medlin, aged 26, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Schiehallion" in 1872
Miss Harriet A. Medlin, (b. 1852), aged 21, Cornish housemaid departing on 28th November 1873 aboard the ship "Carnatic" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 28th February 1874 6
Mr. John Medlin, (b. 1854), aged 20, Cornish mason departing on 28th March 1874 aboard the ship "Hindostan" going to Bluff or Otago, New Zealand arriving in port on 13th May 1874 6
Mr. John Medlin, (b. 1850), aged 25, Cornish farm labourer departing on 31st October 1875 aboard the ship "Otaki" arriving in Lyttelton, Canterbury, New Zealand on 8th February 1876 7

Medlin migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 8

Medlin Settlers in West Indies in the 19th Century

Mr. Alfred Medlin, (b. 1852), aged 40, Cornish rope maker travelling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 28th January 1892 en route to Havana, Cuba 3
Mr. Henry Medlin, (b. 1876), aged 16, Cornish rope maker travelling aboard the ship "Majestic" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 28th January 1892 en route to Havana, Cuba 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Medlin (post 1700) +

John Grimes Medlin Jr. (1933-2012), American bunsinessman, Chief Executive Officer of Wachovia from 1977 to 1993
Eric Medlin, American portrait photographer and landscape artist
Daniel Ellis "Dan" Medlin (b. 1949), American NFL football guard who played for the Oakland Raiders (1974-1976) and in 1979
Frankie Lee Medlin (b. 1964), professional American "Old School" Bicycle Motocross (BMX) racer
Lex Medlin (b. 1969), American comedic actor, best known for his leading role in the 2006 Fox TV sitcom Happy Hour
R. P. Medlin, American Democratic Party politician, Chair of Boone County Democratic Party, 1940 9
Lewis B. Medlin Jr., American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Virginia State House of Delegates 19th District, 2011 9

The Medlin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Consillio et animis
Motto Translation: By skill and spirit.

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retreived 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_victoria.pdf
South Australian Register Wednesday 21st February 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Rodney 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/rodney1855.shtml
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to Lyttelton 1858-84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html