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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • Scottish and northern English : topographic name for a dweller at the chief farm (or home farm) on an estate, Scottish mains, or a habitational name from any of the various minor places named with this word (originally a shortened form of domain, later associated with the adjective main ‘principal’).
  • English and Scottish : variant of Main 1–4.

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