MAUD.  Anglo-Norman.  A contracted form of German Mahthild (q.v.), meaning "mighty battle maid."  Also spelled Maude. (History of Christian Names, Yonge, 1884).  Usage:  America, England, France, Germany.

    MAUD, MAUDE.  Found as baptismal names; corrupted from Matilda. (Praenomina, Charnock, 1882)

... good Queen Saint Maud, or Saint Mathilda.  She lived from about 900-968, and was the daughter of Theodoric, a Saxon nobleman.  Maud was brought up in the Monastery of Erfurt, by her grandmother Maud, and in 913 was married to Henry, surnamed the Fowler, who in 916 succeeded to his father's title of Duke of Saxony, and in 919 was elected King of Germany.  Henry the Fowler was a pious and merciful King and greatly beloved by his people, and was aided in all his good works by his noble wife.  Queen Maud comforted the sick and afflicted, taught the ignorant and succoured the poor, setting prisoners free and pointing them the way to heaven.  After twenty-three years of a happy married life Henry died (936).  Two of the three sons of this noble pair, disputed for the crown, which was elective, and the elder—Otho—obtained it, the Queen having favoured her younger son Henry.  For this she afterwards suffered severely.  The brothers combined (under the pretext that their mother gave too much in charity) to strip their mother of all her possessions, though they eventually repented of their injustice, and made restitution.  Maud founded many churches and five monasteries, one of these, at Polden, in Brunswick, being of such extent that it held 3000 monks.  The second in importance was the monastery of Quedlinburg, in Saxony.  Here Maud buried her beloved husband, and here, after the completion of the building, she spent most of her own time in prayer, penance, and good works. (Girls' Christian Names, Swan, 1905)