Surname Malet - Meaning and Origin
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Q. Malet
read moreMalet: What does the surname Malet mean?
The last name Malet is of French origin and is a locational surname derived from numerous places in France called Malet. The original form of the word is derived from the Old French “maleit”, which is in turn derived from the Latin “Malla”, meaning a hamlet or small market town.
The first record of the Malet surname was in 1077 when William Malet was a witness at Westminster. From this point onwards Malet families become widely distributed across the regions of Normandy, Picardy, and Champagne, although most were found in Normandy.
In the Middle Ages, the Malet name was influential in a number of professions, from the clergy and knights who formed part of the Norman tradition, to notables who held royal appointments or held positions of power in local city or borough offices.
Today, the Malet name is found in France, the United Kingdom, USA, and other parts of the world, reflecting the widespread distribution of the name and its global reach. In France, the Malet family is represented in cities such as Paris, Le Mans, and Angers.
For many centuries, the Malet name has been synonymous with French culture and heritage, and this continues today with people of the last name continuing to make their mark in politics, business, and the wider community.
Order DNA origin analysisMalet: Where does the name Malet come from?
The last name Malet is most commonly found in regions of France today. Historically, the name was derived from the French ‘mal’, which means bad or evil. Nobles from southwestern France were known as Malets, and as a result, the name is most common in the south-western region of the country.
In France, the Malet name is most concentrated in the regions of Les Landes, La Charente-Maritime, and Poitou-Charentes. This area, also known as Aquitaine, was the traditional home of the Malet family. It was in this region that the Malet family lived for generations, and the Malet name is still most common there today.
Today, the Malet name is found in many other parts of the globe, where descendants of the French Malet family have resettled. This includes parts of North America, the Caribbean, and elsewhere in Europe.
In the United States, the Malet name is most commonly found in the southern states, including Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Florida, as well as in California and New York.
The Malet family remains a recognized part of French and international culture, and today the name is closely associated with its traditional French roots.
Variations of the surname Malet
The surname Malet has its origins in France and is derived from an Old French word meaning "small mountain". Depending on the region, there are many variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the Malet surname.
The most common variants of the Malet surname include: Maillet, Malliot, Maléteau, Mailheau, Malette, Mallet, Malletot, Malleau, Mallereau, Malhet, Malletier, Malletre, Mallié, Mailhé, Mailliet, Meillet, Méliette.
In some cases, the 't' at the end of a variant of Malet is dropped, making spellings such as Male, Mallée, Mallé, Mallées, Malléos, Malé, Mallie, Maille, and Malley. Other variants in some dialects of Dutch or French add a 'd' onto the end of the surname, such as Maillard and Mallard.
For those of Dutch, German, and Jewish descent, the Malet surname can also be found under the surname Mollen. Similarly, Mollet and Mollat are spellings of the surname for those of French descent.
The Italian surname Maletti and the Spanish surname Malet come from the same root as Malet. Maletti is derived from the Latin word malus which translates to "bad or evil". The Spanish surname Malet occurs with the spelling change “L-E-T-I”, and is believed to be derived from the Latin words melior or melitus which means "improved or sweetened".
Finally, the Malet surname is also found as a spelling of Mallot or Mallat, which has its origins in Germany. Mallot typically includes some form of the word for “bad” or “evil”, such as mal, mall, or malt.
Famous people with the name Malet
- Jean Malet: French politician
- Raphael Malet: French diplomat
- Pierre Malet: French General
- Auguste Malet: French actor
- Pierre Mallet: French admironer
- Edith Malet: French writer
- Charles Malet: French soldier
- Eugénie Malet: French actress
- Fanny Malet: French actress
- Eraste Malet: French theologian
- Charles Malet de Graville: French doctor
- Philippe Malet: French chemist
- François Auguste Malet: French chemist
- Jacques-Amédée Malet: French politician
- Jean-Baptiste Malet: French Orientologist
- Jacques-Adrien Malet: French lawyer
- Agathe Malet: French relief worker
- Christian Malet: French politician
- Mademoiseille Malet: French debutante
- Lawrence Malet: British diplomat