This interesting and unusual surname, chiefly recorded in the West County, is of locational origin from a place near Falmouth in Cornwall called Mabe, believed to be named from "Mab", a queen in Celtic and English folklore said to create and control men's dreams. The suffix "er" when attached to a topographical feature, for example, brook, or to a particular placename meant "dweller at". Surname recordings from Dorset Church Registers include the christening of John, son of Robert Maber, in Powerstock with West Milton, on February 19th 1569, and the marriage of Margaret Maber to Roger Whiffinge, in Bradford Peverell, on April 2nd 1576. On February 3rd 1589, Alice Maber married a Robertt Wylton in Pitcombe, Somerset, and on September 26th 1599, William Maber married Elizabeth Chapman, in St. Andrew's, Plymouth, Devonshire. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Mawde Maber, which was dated January 27th 1560, marriage to Peter Powchard, at Maiden Newton, Dorset, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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