Margaret

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Margaret

Gender: Feminine
Language: English
Etymology:
Margaret is the English form of a Greek name, from “margaron,” meaning “Pearl,” or “Precious.”

History:
Margaret is first recorded in England with St. Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093) the wife of King Malcolm III of Scotland.Bcause of Scotland’s St. Margaret, as well as the fame of St. Margaret of Antioch (one of the four virgin saints), Margaret was a fairly popular medieval name in Europe. In England, it suffered a decline from the 16th to the 18th centuries, but has been fairly common ever since. Margareta was first recorded in 1189.

Pronunciation: mar-gar-et.

Diminutives: Grethel, Mame, Mamie, Margo, Magali, Magalie.
English: Daisy, Gretta, Madge, Mag, Maggi, Maggie, Maggy, Maidie, Marga, Marge, Margie, Marji, Marjie, May, Meg, Meggie, Peg, Peggy, Reta.
Danish: Almeta, Grete, Gretel, Gretha, Meta, Mettalise, Mette.
Dutch: Griet, Gret, Greet, Grietje, Greetje, Gretje.
French: Margot.
Frisian: Gret, Gretje, Greet, Greetje, Griet, Grietje.
German: Greta, Gretchen, Grete, Gretel, Gretha, Grit, Gritt, Gritta, Meta.
German (Low): Gret, Gretje, Greet, Greetje, Griet, Grietje.
Hawaiian: Lika, Malakia, Mako, Makoka, Kelekena.
Hungarian: Gitta.
Irish Gaelic: Peig, Peigín, Peeg, Pegeen.
Italian: Rita, Meta.
Polish: Malgoisa, Gosia, Goska.
Scottish: Maisie, Mysie, Masery, Magaidh, Peigi.
Spanish: Rita.
Swedish: Greta, Maj, Mai, Meta.

Alternates: Margarett, Margrett, Margaux, Marguaux, Margria, Marget, Margrette.
Breton: Marcharit.
Czech: Marjeta, Markéta.
Danish: Margarete, Margarethe, Mereta, Merete, Märta, Märeta.
Dutch: Margriet, Gretchen.
English (Middle): Margerie, Margerye, Marjorie (See Below), Marjory.
Finnish: Marketta.
French: Marguerite.
German: Margarethe, Margarete, Margareta, Margaretha, Margret, Margrit.
German (Low): Margriet.
Greek: Margarites.
Hawaiian: Makaleka.
Hebrew (Modern): Margalit, Marganit, Marganita.
Hungarian: Margit.
Irish Gaelic: Máiréad, Mairéad.
Italian: Margherita.
Latin: Margarita, Margareta, Margaretta.
Norwegian: Margit.
Polish: Malgorzata.
Portuguese: Margarida.
Scandinavian: Margareta, Margaretha.
Scottish Gaelic: Mairead, Maighread.
Spanish: Margarita.
Swedish: Margit, Marit.
Welsh: Mared, Marged, Margiad, Margred, Megan (See Below) Mererid, Mereid.

Alternates from Majorie: Majel, Margory, Marjori.
Hawaiian: Makoli, Makelina.
Latin: Margeria.
Scottish: Marsali.

Surnames:
English: Magg, Maggs.

Masculine Form: Margo.

See also: Greta, Gretchen, Madge, Maggie, Maisie, Margarethe, Margarita, Marge, Margery, Margie, Marguerite, Marjorie, May, Megan (Meagan, Meaghan), Meghan, Peggy (Peg), Rita.

Famous Bearers:
Artists and Authors:
Margaret Fuller (1810-1850)
American critic Transcendentalist. Died in a shipwreck.
Margaret Oliphant Oliphant (1828-1897)
Scottish author.
Margaret Deland (1857-1945)
American author.
Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949)
American author. Wrote Gone With the Wind (1936).
Margaret Bourke-White (1906-1971)
American photojournalist.
Margaret Wise Brown (1910-1952)
American author.
Margaret Walker (1915-1998)
American author.
Margaret Avison (1918-)
Canadian poet.
Margaret Hillis (1921-1998)
American conductor.
Majorie Tallchief (1927-)
American ballet dancer.
Margaret Forster (1938-)
British author.
Margaret Drabble (1939-)
English author.
Margaret Atwood (1939-)
Canadian novelist and poet.

Educators, Scholars, and Social Workers:
Margaret Warner Morley (1858-1923)
American biologist. Wrote children’s books on biology.
Margaret Angela Haley (1861-1939)
American educator. Promoted teachers’ unions.
Margaret Mead (1901-1978)
American anthropologist.
Mairéad Corrigan-Maguire (1944-)
Northern Irish social worker. Co-founded the Community of Peace People.

Fictional Characters:
Gretel
From the fairy tale Hansel and Gretel.

Miscellaneous:
Margaret Brent (1600-1669)
British colonial landowner. Called the first American feminist.
Margaret Cochran Corbin (1751-1800)
When her husband was killed during the Revolutionary War, she grabbed his gun and continued the fight until being wounded. Was given a pension by Congress.
Margaret Olivia Slocum Sage (1828-1918)
American philanthropist who established the Russell Sage Foundation.
Margaret Sanger (1879-1966)
Founder of the birth control movement in the United States.
Margaret E. Kuhn (1905-1995-)
Founder of the Gray Panthers. Champion of the elderly.
Margaret Court (1942-)
Australian tennis player.

Places:
Margherita Peak
East Africa. Named for Queen Margherita of Italy.

Political Figures:
Margaret Grace Bondfield (1873-1953)
British union leader and member of the cabinet.
Margaret Chase Smith (1897-1995)
American representative and senator. Denounced Joseph McCarthy’s Communist hearings.
Margaret Thatcher (1925-)
British Prime Minister from 1979 to 1990.

Religious Figures:
Saint Margaret of Antioch (or Saint Marina) (3rd of 4th century):
Supposedly refused marriage and was beheaded. It is now doubted that she existed.
Saint Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093):
Sister of Edgar the Aetheling. Wife to King Malcolm III of Scotland. Promoted the interests of the church.
Saint Margaret Clitherow (1556-1586):
Harbored priests during during the Elizabethan Age.

Royalty:
Saint Margaret of Scotland (1045-1093):
Sister of Edgar the Aetheling. Wife to King Malcolm III of Scotland. Promoted the interests of the church.
Margaret of Provence (French: Marguerite de Provence) (1221-1285):
Daughter of Raymond Berengar IV of Provence. Wife to King Louis IX of France. She accompanied Louis on Crusade in 1248.
Margaret, Maid of Norway (1282-1290):
Daughter of king Eric II of Norway, and Margaret, daughter of King Alexander III of Scotland. When Alexander died in 1286, Margaret was proclaimed queen. She died of illness while en route from Norway to England in 1290.
Margaret Maultasch (1318-1369):
Also called Margaret of Tirol (German: Margarete von Tirol). She had a deformed jaw and was called “Mouth Pocket” (Maultasch). She was forced to give up her territory (Tirol) to the Hapsburgs.
Margaret I of Denmark (1353-1412):
Daughter of King Valdemar IV of Denmark. Her son, Olaf III, inherited the Danish throne in 1376. After he died, she was named queen.
Margaret of Anjou (1430-1482):
Wife to King Henry IV of England. Mounted an energetic, but futile effort to crown her son, Prince Edward, during the War of the Roses.
Margaret Beaufort (The Lady Margaret) (1443-1509):
Wife to Edmund Tudor, mother of Henry VII of England. A descendent of John of Gaunt and Edward III of England.
Margaret of Austria (Spanish: Margarita de Austria) (1480-1530):
Regent of the Netherlands for her nephew Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.
Margaret Tudor (1489-1541):
Daughter of King Henry VII of England, wife to King James IV of Scotland. Ruled as regent for her son, King James V of Scotland until her second marriage.
Margaret of Angoulême (French: Marguerite d’Angoulême) (1492-1549):
Also called Margaret of Navarre. Wife of Henry II of Navarre. Patron of the arts.
Margaret Douglas, Countess of Lennox (1515-1578):
Cousin to Queen Mary I and Queen Elizabeth I of England. Mother-in-law to Mary, Queen of Scots. Grandmother of King James I of England.
Margaret of Austria (Spanish: Margarita de Austria) (1522-1586):
Also called Margaret of Parma. The illegitimate daughter of Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Governor general of the Netherlands
Margaret of Valois (French: Marguerite de Valois) (1553-1615):
Daughter of King Henry II of France. Wife to Henry IV of Navarre. Wrote a famous autobiography, Mémoires.

Scientists and Inventors:
Margaret E. White (1838-1914)
American inventor. She held 27 patents.
Margaret Floy Washburn (1871-1939)
American psychologist.
Margaret Burbidge (1925-)
British astronomer.

Singers and Entertainers:
Dame Margaret Rutherford (1892-1972)
British actress of the stage and screen.
Margaret Harshaw (1909-1997)
American opera singer.
Margaret Lockwood (1916-1990)
British actress.
Margaret Leighton (1922-1976)
English actress.

Popularity of Margaret:
Percentage from the 1990 U.S. Census:
0.768 % named Margaret
0.208 % named Peggy
0.204 % named Rita
0.173 % named Marjorie
0.147 % named Megan
0.072 % named Margie
0.059 % named Margarita
0.056 % named Marguerite
0.051 % named Maggie
0.032 % named Gretchen
0.032 % named Meghan
0.017 % named Margret
0.016 % named Margo
0.015 % named Meagan
0.014 % named Greta
0.011 % named Margery
0.011 % named Madge
0.008 % named Margot
0.006 % named Marge
0.006 % named Reta
0.004 % named Meaghan
0.004 % named Meta
0.003 % named Gretta
0.003 % named Maegan
0.003 % named Margarete
0.003 % named Meg
0.002 % named Almeta
0.002 % named Margareta
0.002 % named Margarett
0.002 % named Margit
0.002 % named Meghann
0.001 % named Maisie
0.001 % named Margherita
0.001 % named Margrett
0.001 % named Marketta
0.001 % named Peg

Popularity of Margaret:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 5th most popular.
1850: 6th most popular.
1875: 17th most popular.
1880: 4th most popular.
1881: 4th most popular.
1882: 4th most popular
1883: 3rd most popular.
1884: 5th most popular.
1885: 4th most popular.
1886: 6th most popular.
1887: 4th most popular.
1888: 4th most popular.
1889: 4th most popular.
1890: 5th most popular.
1891: 3rd most popular.
1892: 3rd most popular.
1893: 3rd most popular.
1894: 3rd most popular.
1895: 6th most popular.
1896: 4th most popular.
1897: 5th most popular.
1898: 4th most popular.
1899: 3rd most popular.
1900: 4th most popular.
1901: 4th most popular.
1902: 4th most popular.
1903: 2nd most popular.
1904: 3rd most popular.
1905: 3rd most popular.
1906: 3rd most popular.
1907: 3rd most popular.
1908: 3rd most popular.
1909: 3rd most popular.
1910: 3rd most popular.
1911: 3rd most popular.
1912: 5rd most popular.
1913: 4th most popular.
1914: 4th most popular.
1915: 4th most popular.
1916: 3rd most popular.
1917: 4th most popular.
1918: 4th most popular.
1919: 4th most popular.
1920: 4th most popular.
1921: 4th most popular.
1922: 4th most popular.
1923: 4th most popular.
1924: 5th most popular.
1925: 5th most popular.
1926: 5th most popular.
1927: 5th most popular.
1928: 5th most popular.
1929: 5th most popular.
1930: 6th most popular.
1931: 9th most popular.
1932: 8th most popular.
1933: 9th most popular.
1934: 9th most popular.
1935: 8th most popular.
1936: 10th most popular.
1937: 10th most popular.
1938: 9th most popular.
1939: 7th most popular.
1940-1950: 14th most popular.
1940: 9th most popular.
1950-1960: 23rd most popular.
1960-1970: 54th most popular.
1970-1980: 101st most popular.
1980-1990: 95th most popular.
1990: 104th most popular.
1991: 108th most popular.
1992: 104th most popular.
1993: 107th most popular.
1994: 109th most popular.
1995: 106th most popular.
1996: 106th most popular.
1997: 112th most popular.
1998: 116th most popular.
1999: 112th most popular.
2000: 112th most popular.
2001: 120th most popular.
2002: 129th most popular.
2003: 130th most popular.

In France...
1900-1949: N/A
1950: 190th most popular.
1955: 189th most popular.
1960-2000: N/A

Popularity of Margo:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1930: N/A
1930-1940: 653rd most popular.
1940-1950: 356th most popular.
1950-1960: 362nd most popular.
1960-1970: 503rd most popular.
1970-1980: 778th most popular.
1980-1990: 797th most popular.
1990-2000: N/A

Popularity of Margret:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1800: 33rd most popular.
1850: 39th most popular.
1875: 80th most popular.
1900-1910: 832nd most popular.
1910-1920: 708th most popular.
1920-1930: 536th most popular.
1930-1940: 564th most popular.
1940-1950: 862nd most popular.
1950-1960: 953rd most popular.
1960-2000: N/A

Popularity of Margot:
Popularity (for newborns):
In the United States...
1900-1910: 919th most popular.
1910-1920: 784th most popular.
1920-1930: 894th most popular.
1930-1940: 650th most popular.
1940-1950: 759th most popular.
1950-1960: 936th most popular.
1960-2000: N/A

In France...
1900-1980: N/A
1987: 171st most popular.
1990: 100th most popular.
2000: 33rd most popular.

Fun Stuff:
Daisy is a nickname for Margaret because in French a marguerite means “daisy.”