Mayo
A surname that most likely began as a form of Matthew/Mayhew, though some writers also linked it to County Mayo in Ireland.
The #989 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 8,764 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The strongest old-dictionary explanation treats Mayo as a later form of Mayhew, itself from the medieval personal name Matthew, ultimately from Hebrew Mattityahu, meaning “gift of God.” Some 19th-century writers also suggested a separate Irish connection with Mayo, the county name associated with Magh Eo, “the plain of the yews.” Because the surname appears in spellings such as Mayhew, Mayhow, and Mayow, the Matthew/Mayhew derivation is usually considered the more likely one.
History
English records show Mayo alongside spellings like Mayhew and Mayow, reflecting the way a single medieval name could branch into many local spellings. Lower specifically says the surname was often a corrupted or altered form of Matthew/Mayhew, and Harrison repeats that view while also noting the Irish place-name theory. In Ireland, Mayo can also be interpreted as a surname associated with County Mayo, but the old sources treat that link more cautiously.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Lower noted that some Mayows of Cornwall originally wrote their name as Mayhew, a good example of how unstable surname spellings could be before standardization.
From the historical record
“MAYNE - Main(e, q.v. MAYO (A.-Fr-Heb.) for Mayhew, q.v". (Celt.) Bel. to Mayo = the Plain of the Yews [Ir. Magh-ed] MAYOR, v. Mayer. MAYSON, May's Son : v. May. Cp, Mason'. MEACHEN,”
— Surnames of the United Kingdom: a concise etymological dictionary (2 vols in 1)