Origins

Academics believe the name of MALES is derived from the Old French word "Masle/Madle" meaning masculine or male. In particular the Oxford Dictionary of English Surnames 3rd edition 1997 by Reaney and Wilson refers to a Robert LE MASLE appearing in a Berkshire Pipe Roll in 1187. Further references include Osbert LE MADLE 1202 in Essex Feete of Fines and Stephen MALE 1230 in an Essex Pipe Roll. Subsequently a William LE MASLE (1280),LE MADLE(1303),and LE MALE(1305) has left his name as a place name on Marles Farm, Epping, Essex.

Many researchers of the name also look for coats of arms and will find reference to a Jon MALES with arms depicted on the Dering Roll a manuscript owned by the British Library. It is coat of arms no.291 on the roll. From my investigations of this coat of arms I believe it to relate to the MALET family and is derived from Norman Knights notably Jean de MALET (Sire de Graville). It is similar in design but not colour to the arms of Robert MALET, coat of arms no.188 on the Dering Roll. These coats of arms are shown on the left but are not in any way connected to the MALES families in my opinion. Neither are any other Coats of Arms you might come across available and being sold on the Internet.

Also note the MALET family subsequently changed their Coat of Arms to the one the family now use.

Moving forward from the start of Civil Registration in 1538 one can find a small number of MALES records in the 16th century on FamilySearch notably:-

Susan MALES baptised 3 Mar 1558 Dover, Kent

Thomas MALES baptised 15 May 1565 Dover, Kent

John MALES baptised 16 August 1567 Great Bentley, Essex

Nathaniel MALES baptised 3 April 1569 St Andrew Holborn, Middlesex

Richard MALES baptised 10 November 1584 Banbury, Oxfordshire

Nicholas MALES baptised 20 July 1589 St Mary Whitechapel, Middlesex

Noah MALES baptised 4 Dec 1595 St Mary Whitechapel, Middlesex

In the 17th century the occurrences of MALES records are more numerous and can be found significantly in the following additional English Counties:-

Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Sussex and Devon.

More Recent Distribution of the MALES Surname