Maitland

The Maitland surname is generally thought to derive from the Anglo-Norman French word "maltalent," or "mautalent," meaning "bad temper," in turn from the Late Latin "malum," meaning "bad," and "talentum," meaning "inclination," or "disposition." As such, the surname is said to be a nickname surname; originally used for someone with this characteristic. However, there was also a place called Mautalant in Pontorson, France, which may have been a source for the surname.