The Masterton Surname
MASTERTON. King Malcolm IV (1153 - 1165) granted the lands of Ledmacdunegil (Ledmacduuegil or Lethmachduuegil) afterwards called Masterton as formerly held by Magister (=Master) Ailricus, cementarius, to the Abbey church of Dunfermline (RD., p.21,30,42). This Ailricus may be the magister or 'master' after whom the lands took their later name. The first appearance of the surname is in 1296 when William de Mastertone or de Meystertone of the county of Fife rendered homage for his possessions. His seal bears a lion rampant, a rose in front, and S' Will'i de Maistertvn (Bain, II, p.188, 201). Duncan de Maysterton witnessed the homage of Duncan, earl of Fife to the abbot of Dunfermline in 1316 (RD., p.235,236), Symon de Maysterton, rector, was a witness in 1357 (Newbotle p.309), and Sir Thomas Masterton was a canon regular of Cambuskenneth in 1476 (SBR., p.261). The Mastertons were a family of note in the Dunfermline district before the Reformation, and their genealogy, by Victor A. Noël Paton, is published in the Miscellany of the Scottish History Society (I, p. 457-466). Maistertoun 1617, Maistertoune 1642, Maistertown 1550, Maystirtoun 1434.
The Surnames of Scotland
Their Origin, Meaning and History
George F. Black, Ph.D.
The New York Public Library 1962
page 586
MASTOURSTOUN. An old family taking their surname from the lands of Masterton, near Dunfermline. The writer, in 1878, communicated a notice of them to the 'Miscellanea Genealogica et Heraldica' which was also printed for private circulation.
Hugo de Villa Magistri is a witness to a charter, c.1250; his son, William de Meistreton, of the county of Fife, swore fealty to Edward I. 1296 and sealed with a lion rampant. Their descendants held Masterton till the sixteenth century.
Soon after the Reformation, Alexander, probably a descendant of Masterton of that Ilk, had a feu-charter of part of Grange; in 1763 Adam Masterton of Grange registered - argent, a chevron between two crescents in chief and a mullet in base gules, on a chief azure an eagle displayed or.
Alexander Masterton acquired Parkmill, co. Clackmannan, 1547, and his representative, Francis of that place, registered arms 1672-78 - argent, a chevron gules and a chief azure.
The seal of Robert Masterton of Bad, 1588, is an eagle displayed impaling a chevron with a crescent in chief or on a chief.
Other variations occur in the MSS.
Scottish Arms,
being a collection of armorial bearings AD 1370 - 1678
R. R. Stodart
Edinburgh 1881
Vol. II p 267 ill.p.146
This link is to the National Trust/University College London surname profiler which compares the distribution of surnames in 1881 and 1998. This confirms that even in 1881, Mastertons were most prevalent in Fife. By 1998, Mastertons were more dispersed but still most common in Fife and Lothians. Tasmania is the Australian state with the highest frequency, Otago in New Zealand, and Hawaii in USA.
Distribution of Mastertons in UK in 1881 |
Distribution of Mastertons in UK in 1998 |
Source: www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk