One Macchus, in the eleventh century, obtained lands, on the Tweed, in Scotland, from Prince David, to which he gave the name of Macchusville, since corrupted to Maxwell.
Arthur, William. 1857. An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names With an Essay on their Derivation and Import. New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake, Bleeker & CO.
Patronmic
From "Macsual", Gaelic, from "Mac"=son, and "sual"=small, little.
Toponymic
Derived from the placename, "Maxwell", from Old English "Mack + well(a))" meaning “the stream of Mack"
