Mapstone One-Name Study

Mapstone
One-Name Study

Topics

About the Mapstone One-Name Study
Variants
Origin of the surname
Historical occurrences
Frequency of the name
Distribution of the name
Data
Links
Contact Details

About the Mapstone One-Name Study

On going research into the Mapstone/Mapston family world wide.

Mapstone families located in UK, Canada, United States, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa.

Variants

The only genuine variant of Mapstone is Mapston, and the original Mabstone/Mabston. Mabson and Mapson are not connected.

Origin of the surname

The English surname Map(b)stone is probably of locative origin, deriving from the name of the place where the initial bearer once lived or held land.

I would say that the derivation is from Mabs Tone, the Homestead or Farm of Mab, from the Old English tun, enclosure, farmstead, village, manor, estate, although strictly speaking ‘place’ is the only safe rendering.

The Mapstones appear to originate from North East Somerset in two main groups, located on either side of the Mendip Hills.

The earliest reference found so far is to a John Mabston, in a document at the PRO 1377-1558.

This entry is from “The Penguin Dictionary of Surnames”, 1981 by Basil Cottle.

Mapstone (Local Name)

“Maetta’s (his name is related to “degree, honour, state”) pan-stone (the big haystack-like granite block that the road has to bend round)” OE, place in Newton Abbot, Devon, called Mattepanston in 1249. Chiefly a Somerset surname.”

There is a Mapstone Hill, and a Mapstone Estate, of about 18 acres, near Lustleigh, near Newton Abbot, Devon, and this is where the above reference comes from. However, the distribution of the MAPSTONE name shows a remarkable concentration in Somerset and almost none in Devon.

Information from the Devon Record Office.

Mapstone is Mattepanson in 1249, the first part of the name is an old English personal name and the 'panson' element relates to the large block of granite round which the road has to bend. In 1330 it was Mappestone.

Historical occurrences

Apparently Goodrich Castle Herefordshire (S0 579199) Date: 12th century was built by a Godric Mappestone.

Frequency of the name

There are 703 with the MAPSTONE name and 51 with the MAPSTON name in the UK today, registered with the N.H.S. (1 in 72,000). About 200 in the USA, 80 (73 in phone books) in Australia, and 22 in Canada (from Phone Books). I do not have a figure for South Africa where there are a number of Mapstones.

Distribution of the name

See the distribution maps at http://hometown.aol.co.uk/stanmapstone/page1.html

Data

The relationships shown in the main family trees have been obtained from fiche of original Parish Registers, Census Returns, GRO certificates, and correspondance with other researchers. They are correct as far as I am aware, but are subject to revision, and correction, as new data becomes available. I have details of other small family groups which I have not been able to connect to main trees, and which are not shown on my website.

Links

http://www.mapstone.org

Contact details

For further information, contact:

Mr Stan Mapstone
E-mail:

This page last updated 25 February 2008.