Surname Musgrave - Meaning and Origin

Musgrave: What does the surname Musgrave mean?

The origin of the last name Musgrave dates back to the Norman invaders who came to England after William the Conqueror in 1066. The name is derived from the French words "musgreves" or "mosgreves," which refer to a person who was the chief of a marsh. This name was most likely given to someone who acted as a steward or supervisor in a marshland area.

During medieval times, the Musgrave surname often ranked among the top noble families in England. It was used to denote a high-ranking position in the legal system, usually held by a justice of peace or a sheriff. The Musgrave family was granted a coat of arms in 1308 for their loyalty in the royal service. The crest of the coat of arms consists of a stag's head encircled with a red collar, now commonly referred to as "a stag's head couped" and depicting the family's symbolic representation.

Throughout England, the Musgrave family is highly regarded due to their shared illustrious ancestral history. In particular, the famous Clan Musgrave have been a long-standing clan in England for centuries, having paternal linage that goes back to the Norman invasion itself. From Scotland to Canada, the Musgrave name is common and their contributions to society both past and present hold an important place in English history.

Musgrave: Where does the name Musgrave come from?

The last name Musgrave is a very old English name, first recorded in 1212 when Walter Musgrave was listed in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Returns. It is mostly found throughout the United Kingdom today, particularly in England. The Musgraves were originally noble landowners in the Middle Ages and their descendants can still be found throughout the North of England, especially in Yorkshire and Lancashire. In Ireland, the Musgrave name is also common and the name is found most often in Ulster in counties such as Donegal, Cavan, Armagh, and Tyrone. In Scotland, Musgrave families are most common in the southwestern counties, especially Ayrshire, where the name is even more numerous than in England. In North America, Canada and the United States have had Musgraves arriving since the 17th century. As with other early British immigrants, most of them settled in the New England and Mid-Atlantic regions of the US, and in Canada, they are mostly found in the provinces of Ontario, Quebec, and Nova Scotia.

Variations of the surname Musgrave

The surname Musgrave has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The most common variants are Mosegrave, Mosgrave, and Musgrave. In some cases, Musgrave is spelled with a ‘y’ instead of an ‘i’.

The variants and spellings of Musgrave can be found in different regional languages and dialects. In English, variants and spellings of Musgrave include Mosegrave, Mosgrave, and Musgrave. In Irish and Scottish Gaelic, the variants are Musgráve, Mac Giolla Moisgreig, Mac Mhuiris, and Mac Mhighris.

The following variant spellings can be found in the French language: Musgrave, Musgraves, and Mossgrave.

Surnames of the same origin as Musgrave include Gravitt, Grieve, Grave, Gravestein, Greves, Grives, Groves, Gravely, Grivet, and Gravett.

In some cases, the surname Musgrave can appear as a nickname for an ancestor with a fair complexion or was associated with graves or graveyards. Some of these nicknames include Whitgrave, Graves, Greaves, and Grayve.

In Germany, variants of Musgrave can be found in the spelling Musgrave or Musgraff. In Poland, Musgrave can be observed in the spellings Musof and Musger.

The name Musgrave has been around for centuries and has a variety of variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. The name is most commonly found in North America, Europe, and the British Isles.

Famous people with the name Musgrave

• Richard Musgrave (1910: 2007), American economist and Nobel laureate.
• Maja Tamara Musgrave (born 1968), British former athlete.
• Sandy Musgrave (born 1965), British former athlete.
• Paul Musgrave (born 1978), American political scientist and professor.
• Dennis Musgrave (born 1942), British field hockey player.
• Rodney Musgrave (1917: 1990), British former footballer and manager.
• Keith Musgrave (born 1949), English professional darts player.
• Dan Musgrave (born 1964), American former Major League Baseball player.
• Paul Musgrave (born 1964), British former professional footballer.
• John Musgrave (born 1936), Canadian Cross of Valour recipient.
• Bruce Musgrave (born 1976), British film and television actor.
• Fergus Musgrave (born 1957), British composer and arranger of classical music.
• Mark Musgrave (born 1979), Australian rules football player.
• Jack Musgrave (born 1899), English former football player.
• Sam Musgrave, Canadian film editor with multiple credits in Hollywood.
• Dick Musgrave (1918: 2006), British former footballer.
• Dave Musgrave (born 1961), Australian former athlete.
• Stephen Musgrave (born 1962), Australian poet, playwright, novelist and lecturer.
• Keith Musgrave (born 1933), Canadian former politician.
• John Musgrave (1890: 1962), British diplomat and former Governor of Nigeria.

Other surnames

Musgraves