This interesting name is a variant of Main which is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is derived from the Old English pre 7th Century personal name Main, from 'maino' meaning strength. The name could also have been given as a nickname in medieval times to someone with large or strong hands, from the Old French 'magne'. The name development since 1204 (see below) includes the following: Adam de Meine (1205, Somerset), Robert de Meine (1213, Somerset), Walter Asmeins (1223, Gloucestershire), William Asmayns (Lincolnshire), John Mayn (1255, Buckinghamshire) and Richard le Mayne (1327, Sussex). The modern surname can be found as Main, Mayne, Maynes, Maine, Mains and Mainds. One Thomas John Main (1818-1885) was a mathematician who was professor of mathematics at the Royal Naval College, Portsmouth, he also published works on applied mathematics. Among the sample recordings in London are the marriage of David Mainds and Elisabeth Mitchell Stoddart on June 22nd 1868 at Dundee, Angus, in Scotland, and the christening of James, son of Colin Mainds and Janet Peat, on October 6th 1811 also at Dundee, in Angus. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Robert Main, which was dated 1204, Assize Rolls, Yorkshire, during the reign of King John, known as 'Lackland', 1199-1216. 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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