Martyn (surname)

For other uses, see Martyn (disambiguation).

Martyn, or Martin is the surname of one of The Tribes of Galway, Ireland.

Family history

The Martyn family were one of a group of fourteen families of mixed descent who became the premier merchant and political families in the town of Galway during the late medieval and early modern eras. They traded with Scotland, England, Wales, France, Spain, and Portugal. Many were dispossessed by the Irish Confederate Wars and the subsequent Cromwellian conquest.

The family have been based in Co. Galway, Ireland, since the mid-14th century but have many cadet branches in the U.K., Canada, USA, France, Hungary, and several other countries. Most of these branches were emigrated during and in the aftermath of the Wild Geese and Great Famine eras.

Many branches of the family use the spelling Martin. As Martin is the most common spelling for bearers of the name regardless of descent, the form Martyn is used to distinguish all of this kindred from other thus surnamed but unrelated. Martin, Martyn and its variants can be considered some of the most common names in the Western world - such as Smith, Jones, Baker, Wilson. It is not always the case that any two bearers of the name are related, even distantly.

There is a worldwide internet based society for people with the family name Martin and Martyn.;[1]

Notable Martyns of Galway

Martyns outside Ireland

The surname Martyn is common in the West of England, particularly in Devon and Cornwall, where the name spelling could be Martyn, Martin or Marten. In 1543 John Martyn, John Martyn and Joan Martyn are listed with reference to Davidstow (Dewstow) in the "Cornwall Subsidies in the reign of Henry Vlll".[2] In the 1569 Muster Roll [3] John Marten and William Marten are mentioned for Davidstow. In the Register for St Stephens by Launceston the baptisms are given for two sons of Richard Martin of Dewstowe - Nicholas Martin 24 May 1584 and John Marten 21 November 1586. Dated 27 July 1646 is a Davidstow Administration for John Marten the Elder, late of Davidstow and it is possible that this is the John baptised at St Stephens in 1586 [4]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Family History Society of Martin". Fhsofmartin.org.uk. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  2. ↑ Edited and published by T.L.Stoate, 1985
  3. ↑ H.L.Douch, 1984
  4. ↑ "From Davidstow (Dewstow), North Cornwall: A Martyn, Martin, Marten Family and its Descent" by Michael Martyn published in the Cornwall Family History Society Journal, June 1992 Issue

Sources

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