Talk:Melville (name)

Hungarian surname?
I recently reverted an "anonymous" edit because in general, it seemed to be non-notable. However, the edit also states that Melville is a Hungarian surname. I could not find any evidence for this, however, after a very quick Internet search. Is it actually a Hungarian surname?--GregRM 00:12, 19 June 2006 (UTC)

Tradition in the Linning-Melville family of London and South Devonshire
My grandmother (born Monica Melville in 1908 and member of an anglicized, cadet branch of the Leslie-Melville family) said that the first Melville to arrive in Scotland was a Hungarian knight who escorted a Hungarian princess to Scotland to marry the King of Scots.

I believe that the legend is a garbled version of historical events.

It is widely believed that St Margaret of Scotland (1043 to 1094) -- wife to Malcolm III, King of Scots -- was born in Hungary. As a descendent of the West Saxon Kings of England she came to Scotland at the same time as the peaceful settlement of Scotland by Anglo-Norman aristocrats (Norman-French-Breton families such as the Stuarts, Bruces, Balliols, and Melvilles) who immigrated to Scotland either as Royal servants or adventurers and who intermarried with the native aristocracy.

It was at this time that the semi-legendary ancestor of the Melvilles, Galfridus de Melville, came to Scotland, probably from England. It is very possible that he came as an escort, or servant to Queen Margaret (remembered as the "Hungarian princess") on her journey through England to Scotland.

Hope this theory is of interest! I would be interested to speak to who ever posted the "Hungarian" edit.