Matham Family History

from Maytham in Rolvenden (Kent). The place-name probably derives from Old English mægðe ‘mayweed’ or perhaps mægð ‘maiden’ + hamm ‘enclosure water meadow’. The variant forms of the surname reflect different pronunciations of /ð/ in the compound: its early loss in Mayham, its retention in Ma(y)tham, and its alteration to /t/ in Maitam, accompanied by various spellings of the final syllable.

The surname in E Anglia and Essex appears to be identical with the Kent name or possibly the Worcs name in (2), presumably through members of one of these families acquiring property in other counties. from Mathon (Worcs) which is recorded as Matheme in the 13th century.

The place-name derives from Old English māðm, māððum ‘treasure, gift’. In the 1381 example the Old French definite article le may have been substituted for the preposition de.