HISTORY OF THE MAY NAME :

Although the name MAY has an ancient Norman origin, it first arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name MAY is derived from the Old French work mai. This name was also a nickname for a person with a particularly sunny disposition or a person who had an anecdotal connection with the month of May. Often this connection would be the time that feudal obligations were owed. Nicknames, such as MAY, that described the time or season of the birth, baptism or conversion of the original bearer were frequently adopted in the medieval era. The name has been spelled May, Maye, Mays and Mai.

The first evidence of the MAY family appears to be in Sussex, in southern England. Sussex was once a part of the kingdom of the south Saxons, which was founded in the late 5th century. In 1825, Sussex became a part of the kingdom of Wessex. By the 12th century, the MAY family had expanded in size and branched to Sutton Cheyney in Leicestershire, Rawmere in Sussex, and the county of Berwickshire. Early records of the MAY family reveal that in 1296, William May swore an oath of allegiance to King Edward I of England, who conquered Scotland that year.

A number of early immigrants to North America bore the name MAY or a variant including Cornelius May who arrived in Virginia in 1616, Dorothy May who arrived on the "Mayflower" in 1620, William May settled in St Christopher in 1634 and Peter Maye who landed in the Bay of Bulls, Newfoundland in 1675.

Our May family including WEAVER, PICKFORD and WILLIAMS Small numbers by a name refer to personal number in listing eg JAMES ^2MAY – see 2.

GENERATION ONE:

1.~ ~ ~ ISAAC CHRISTOPHER MAY married ELIZABETH (surname unknown) and their children included:

ANNIE MAY, born 17 August 1807.

SARAH MAY, born 09 May 1809.

THOMAS MAY, born 04 August 1811.

MARY MAY, born 10 May 1814.

ISAAC MAY, born 31 July 1817; died August 1834.

JAMES MAY, born 07 May 1820; died 1821-1822.

JAMES ² MAY, born 11 August 1822; died before 1861.

GEORGE MAY, born 17 November 1824; died 1825-1826.

GEORGE MAY, born 16 May 1826.

GENERATION TWO:

2. ~ ~ ~ JAMES MAY (ISAAC) was born on 11 August 1822. James was a Mariner and he married SUSANNAH WEAVER. Susannah was born on 17 August 1830 in Eling, Hampshire, England and was the eighth child of JAMES WEAVER and MARY PHILPOT.

* James Weaver was born on 31 May 1799 in Wells, Somersetshire, England and on the 1861 Census his occupation was listed as a Mariner Pensioner. In 1871 James is a Widower aged 72 years. His wife Mary (nee Philpot) was born in 1798 in Eling, Hampshire and at the time of the 1861 Census was aged 62 years. She died in 1871.

Susannah was recorded on the 1861 Census as a Widow aged 30 years. She was living with her parents and her two boys in Rumbridge, Eling, Hampshire.

Children of JAMES MAY and SUSANNAH WEAVER were:

JAMES ISAAC ³ MAY, born 09 April 1852 in Eling, Hampshire.

AUGUSTINE THOMAS ⁴ MAY, born 04 April 1854 in Southampton, Hampshire.

GENERATION THREE:

3. ~ ~ ~ JAMES ISAAC MAY (ISAAC > JAMES) was born on 9 April 1852 in Eling, Hampshire, England and was the eldest son of JAMES MAY and SUSANNAH WEAVER. In 1861 Susannah was a widow and James, his brother and mother are living with the Weaver family in Rumbridge, Eling, Hampshire.

James married GRACE ELIZABETH (Lizzie) (surname unknown) who was born around 1858 in Gravesend, Kent, England. The 1881 Census records James and Grace and their two eldest daughters living at 8, 9 and 10 Arcade, Holdenhurst in Hampshire. James's occupation was listed as Shopman, Stationer and Bookbinder. (James's brother Augustine was living at 12 Arcade, Holdenhurst)

Children of JAMES MAY and GRACE (MAY) were:

ETHEL MAY, born around 1880 in Lambeth, Surrey, England.

KATE MAY, born around 1881 in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England.

MARGARET MAY.

4. ~ ~ ~ AUGUSTINE THOMAS MAY (ISSAC > JAMES) was born on 04 April 1854 at 2 Compton Walk, Southampton in Hampshire, England and was the second son of JAMES MAY and SUSANNAH WEAVER. In 1861 Susannah was a widow and Augustine, his brother and mother are living with the Weaver family in Rumbridge, Eling, Hampshire. The 1881 Census records Augustine living at 12 Arcade, Holdenhurst in Hampshire and his occupation is listed as a Greengrocer. (Augustine's brother James and his family were living at 8, 9 and 10 Arcade – 11 Arcade being a Post Office)

Augustine arrived in New Zealand in 1884 on the “Old Ionic” and his occupation was listed as a Carpenter. Augustine became friends with EMANUEL PICKFORD on the journey. Augustine married Emanuel's sister ROSA EMMA PICKFORD on 9 February 1886 in Sandon, Fielding, New Zealand. Rosa was born on 13 July 1964 in Great Elm, Somerset, England, the daughter of JOB PICKFORD and SARAH ANN DAVIDGE. She arrived in New Zealand on 03 March 1885 on the “Rimutaka” maiden voyage. Her occupation was listed as a Cook. Augustine and Rosa settled in Rongatea in the Manuwatu region of New Zealand around 1896 and later lived in Horopito in the Ruapehu region. (Horopito is now well know for Horopito Motors which is the largest vintage car dismantler in Australasia) Around 1902 they settled in Raetihi.

Children of AUGUSTINE MAY and ROSA PICKFORD were:

THOMAS JAMES (TOMMY) ⁵ MAY, born 24 October 1886.

ANNIE EVELINE MAY, born 18 October 1893 in Horopito, NZ; died 6 December 1978. Annie married RICHARD HENRY BENNETT in 1915 and they raised two daughters.

GLADYS ELLEN MAY, born 22 September 1895 in Sandon, Fielding, NZ; died 26 April 1979. Gladys married HAROLD VICTOR SOAR on 9 February 1916. Harold was born on 24 May 1888 and died on 7 March 1965. Gladys and Harold farmed at Piriaka after their marriage and raised four children – 2 sons and 2 daughters.

LUCY JANE MAY, born 24 July 1900; died 24 October 1983 in Otahuhu, Auckland. Lucy married ANDREW GORDON MUNN HOGG on 8 February 1922 and they raised a family of seven children – 5 sons and 2 daughters. Andrew was born on 1 May 1895 and died in 1985.

MARJORIE ⁶ MAY, born 24 September 1902 in Raetihi, NZ; died 1 September 1979 in Papatoetoe, Auckland.

WILLIAM EDWARD (Bill) MAY, born 20 December 1904; died 18 June 1984 in Wanganui, NZ. Bill served with the NZ Armoured Corps, 2nd NZEF during World War Two. He married NORA SNOOKS. They settled in Raetihi and later in Wanganui.

NELLIE MAY, who died aged 2 ½ years of scarlet fever (birth date unknown)

Augustine died 05 February 1947 in Raetihi and was buried at Raetihi Cemetery (Row 33 Plot 1). Rosa died on 04 September 1948 in Raetihi Hospital aged 83 years. She was also buried at Raetihi Cemetery.

Refer to the PICKFORD family for more information about Rosa and her family.

GENERATION FOUR:

5. ~ ~ ~ THOMAS JAMES (TOMMY) MAY (ISAAC > JAMES > AUGUSTINE) was born on 24 October 1886 in Palmerston North, New Zealand, the eldest child of AUGUSTINE MAY and ROSA PICKFORD. Thomas married MAREN CHRISTINA NIELSON on 6 December 1912 in Auckland. Maren was born on 06 July 1893.

Children of THOMAS MAY and MAREN NIELSON were:

ANNIE MAY, born 11 March 1913; died 17 August 1984. Annie married KEN GLEESON.

ETHEL MAY, born 1913. Ethel married JOHN DEVEREUX on 23 August 1935.

NELLIE MAY, born 23 March 1915; died 3 September 1987. Nellie married EDWARD JAMES BYRON RUSSELL.

ERNEST JAMES MAY, born 17 May 1916. Ernest served with the NZ Engineers, 2nd NZEF during World War Two and was awarded the Service Star, African Star, Italy Star, NZ Service Medal, and Defence Medal during his service. Ernest married IVY ELSIE ROGERS on 16 February 1946 and they had three children. Ernest was buried in Dannevirke.

FRANK MAY, who married JOYCE (surname unknown)

GLADYS MAY, born 16 February 1925; died about 1953.

IRIS MAY, who married KEN WRIGHTSON.

WILLIAM MAY, born 27 May 1928; died about 1940.

6. ~ ~ ~ MARJORIE MAY (ISAAC > JAMES > AUGUSTINE) was born on 24 September 1902 in Raetihi, NZ. She was the fourth daughter of AUGUSTINE MAY and ROSA PICKFORD. Marjorie was a tiny baby, weighing only just over 2 pounds at birth. Marjorie married HARRY WILLIAMS at St Mary's Anglican Church in Raetihi on 17 April 1929. Harry was born on 1 December 1886 in the Kauaeranga Valley, Thames and was the son of THOMAS WALKER and ELLEN WALKER.

Marjorie and Harry settled in Pukemiro in the Waikato region and raised a family of four daughters (all still living) Around 1951 they moved to Takanini in South Auckland. Harry died on 1 April 1970. After Harry's death Marjorie sold the big house in Takanini and moved to a unit in Railway Street East, Papakura. She remained active and still enjoyed playing outdoor bowls, her garden, and baking (her scones and apple shortcake being personal favourites)

Marjorie died on 1 September 1979 at a private rest home in Papatoetoe, Auckland.

Refer to the WILLIAMS family for more information about Harry and his family.

Please note that in keeping to genealogy publishing protocol I have not included information about later generations including living persons. If you have a family connection please contact me for further information.

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