Mander

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family name of English origin, borne by people with a shared ancestry in the Midlands and elsewhere in Britain
2. An English surname traced to medieval roots, carried by many families across Britain and beyond over the centuries
3. A hereditary family name of English origin, passed down through generations as a label for a lineage

Etymology: Before it meant wandering aimlessly or talking in a rambling, muddled way, this family of words meant simply to beg. The earlier form, "maund," meant "to beg," and that original sense is the root of everything that followed. Over time, the idea of a beggar going from door to door, asking and whining, loosened from the act of asking and drifted toward aimless roaming and tedious, meandering talk. "Mander" is an alternative spelling of "maunder," so it carries the same history.