History of your Surname
Get access to Maw family records.Start a free trial

Maw Family History

Maw Name Meaning

English (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire): from Middle English Maw(e) a pet form of the Anglo-Norman French and Middle English personal name Maheu (see Matthew ). Alternative derivation of Middle English Mawe from an Old English personal name Māwa is theoretically possible in northern England. Compare Mew . English (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire): occasionally a variant of Mowe . English (Yorkshire and Lincolnshire): topographic name meaning either ‘(dweller by) the meadow’ from an otherwise unrecorded Middle English word mawe mowe ‘meadow’ (attested in the second element of the Old English placename Dunmow Essex) or ‘(dweller by) the wet hollow’ from Middle English mawe ‘stomach’ (Old English maga) used topographically to denote a depression which collects water. See also Mowe . Burmese: from a personal name usually forming part of a compound name from maw ‘distinguished’. — Note: Since Burmese do not have hereditary surnames this name was registered as such only after immigration of its bearers to the US.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: May, Mew, Haw, Mar, Law, Raw, Bow, Man, Daw, Mak

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Maw family from?

You can see how Maw families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Maw family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Maw families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1911 there were 121 Maw families living in Ontario. This was about 69% of all the recorded Maw's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Maw families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Maw surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Maw ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Farmer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Maw. 63% of Maw men worked as a Farmer and 27% of Maw women worked as a Farmer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Maw were Carpenter and Housewife. .

View Census Data for Maw | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    63%
  • Labourer
    14%
  • Farming
    5%
  • Carpenter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Stenographer
    27%
  • Retired
    20%
  • Housewife
    14%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Maw family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 37,000 census records available for the last name Maw. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Maw census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Maw

Passenger Lists

There are 3,000 immigration records available for the last name Maw. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Maw immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 2,000 military records available for the last name Maw. For the veterans among your Maw ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Maw military records

You've only scratched the surface of Maw family history

Discover More

What is the average Maw lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Maw life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 1983. The average life expectancy for Maw in 1951 was 43, and 82 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Maw

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Maw family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Maw last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial