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Updated June 9, 2019

Family name origins & meanings

  • North German and Dutch : nickname for a dandy or an affluent person, from Middle Low German mouwe, Dutch mouw, ‘sleeve’, referring to a wide sleeve of expensive, ornamented fabric.
  • Portuguese : nickname from mau ‘bad’, ‘evil’ (Latin malus).
  • Breton : nickname or occupational name from mao ‘young boy’, ‘servant’.
  • Chinese : variant of Mao.

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