Contents [hide]

Major History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Major History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Spain

Etymology of Major

What does the name Major mean?

The prestigious surname Major comes from the region of Provence, in France. The surname Major is of local origin, and is therefore a type of hereditary surname. Local surnames are derived either from an already existing place-name or from a local feature of the geography.

Early Origins of the Major family

The surname Major was first found in Provence, where the family was established in early times.

Early History of the Major family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Major research. Another 102 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1662, 1696 and 1815 are included under the topic Early Major History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Major Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Major, Majour, Majou, Majoux, Mayor, Mayou, Mayoux, Mayoud, Mayaud, Mayoult, Mayot, Mayet, Mayer, Mayeu, Majoral, Majorel and many more.

Early Notables of the Major family

More information is included under the topic Early Major Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Major World Ranking

In the United States, the name Major is the 1,441^st most popular surname with an estimated 22,383 people with that name. 1 However, in Canada, the name Major is ranked the 691^st most popular surname with an estimated 7,581 people with that name. 2 And in Quebec, Canada, the name Major is the 502^nd popular surname. 3 France ranks Major as 8,361^st with 500 - 1,000 people. 4

Major migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Major Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Edward Major, who arrived in Virginia in 1637 5
Phi Major, who landed in Virginia in 1637 5
Tho Major, who arrived in Virginia in 1645 5
John Major and Thomas Major who both settled in Virginia in 1645
Eliza Major, who landed in Virginia in 1645 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Major Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Math Major, who landed in Virginia in 1705 5
Mary Major, who landed in Virginia in 1706 5
James Major, who settled in Virginia in 1773
James Major, who landed in New York in 1795 5
Frederick William Major, who landed in America in 1798 5

Major Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Major, who arrived in New York, NY in 1803 5
John Rudolph Major, aged 30, who landed in Maryland in 1812 5
Joseph Major, aged 30, who arrived in America in 1822 5
Mary Major, who settled in Boston with her husband and three children in 1822
Bartholomaus Major, who arrived in North America in 1837 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Major migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Major Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. Edward Major U.E. who settled in Parr Town, Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 6

Major migration to Australia +

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

Major Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mrs. Amelia Major, (b. 1795), aged 17, English house wife who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for larceny, transported aboard the "Emu" in October 1812, the ship was captured and the passengers put ashore, the convicts were then transported aboard the "Broxburnebury" in January 1812 arriving in New South Wales, Australia, she died in 1863 7
Mr. James Major, (b. 1806), aged 22, English convict who was convicted in Somerset, England for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Bengal Merchant" on 13th March 1828, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 8
Samuel Major, English convict from Middlesex, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 9
Mr. William Major, (b. 1808), aged 29, English groom who was convicted in Exeter, Devon, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Blenheim" on 11th March 1837, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10
Mr. William Major, (b. 1790), aged 48, English boot maker who was convicted in London, England for 15 years for house breaking, transported aboard the "Earl Grey" on 27th July 1838, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1855 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Major 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:

Major Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mr. M. Major, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Simlah" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 10th June 1853 12
Miss Mary Jane Major, (b. 1835), aged 26, English nursery governess from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Victoria" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1862 12
Miss Julia Major, (b. 1839), aged 22, English nursery governess from Middlesex travelling from London aboard the ship "Victoria" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 30th March 1862 12
Miss Sarah Major, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Victory " arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 17th October 1863 12
Mr. Oliver Major, (b. 1869), aged 8 months, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship 'Merope' arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 27th October 1870 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Major (post 1700) +

Léo Major DCM & Bar (1921-2008), American-born, French Canadian soldier, the only Canadian to ever receive the Distinguished Conduct Medal twice in separate wars; he single highhandedly liberated the city of Zwolle in the Netherlands from German army occupation on April 13, 1945
Sir John Major KG, CH, PC (b. 1943), British former politician, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990–1997, Leader of the Conservative Party from 1990 to 1997
Sandra J. Major (b. 1954), American politician
John Perry "Rip" Major (1889-1934), American football player, coach of football, basketball, and baseball, and college athletics administrator
Samuel Collier Major (1869-1931), American politician
Marcus Major, American author
Norman Major (b. 1934), American politician
James Patrick Major (1836-1877), American Army officer and a Confederate brigadier general
Gerri Major (1894-1984), American journalist, editor, newscaster, publicist, public health official, author and community leader
George D. Major (1819-1902), American politician, agriculturist, and businessman
... (Another 61 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Major family +

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Michael John Herbert Major, British Lieutenant, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 14

HMS Repulse

Mr. W S Major, British Surgeon Lieutenant "D", who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 15

RMS Titanic

Mr. Thomas Edgar Major (d. 1912), aged 35, English Bath Steward from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 16
Mr. William James Major, aged 32, English Fireman/Stoker from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking escaping on life boat 13 16

Victoria steamboat disaster

Charles Edward Major, Canadian passenger who was killed in the Victoria steamboat disaster when the boat capsized in 1881

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
"The first 1,000 family names by rank, Quebec (in French only)" Institut de la statistique du Quebec, https://statistique.quebec.ca/en/document/family-names-in-quebec/tableau/the-first-1000-family-names-by-rank-quebec
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 3rd November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Emu
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 7th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bengal-merchant
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Andromeda voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1832 with 186 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1832
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blenheim
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 17th August 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/earl-grey
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html