Surname Merrel - Meaning and Origin
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Merrel: What does the surname Merrel mean?
The surname Merrel is of English origin and is derived from the Middle English word for “ironworker” or “forger.” This is likely because people sharing this surname historically forged iron tools or weapons. The name Merrell is itself an anglicized version of Murrell, many of whom lived in Cork, Ireland up to the mid-1800s.
The first Merrell families in England that can be traced to this surname did so in the late 1300s in what is now known as London. However, due to persecution and fear of religious prosecution, many members of the Merrell families left England, some even going as far as the United States.
Today, Merrells exist in many countries around the world, including England, the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.
The Merrell surname can be represented by several coats of arms, each sporting a bear’s head. This variation of the coat of arms dates back to 1690 and was granted to the Merrell family.
Overall, the Merrell name is derived from the 11th century word for “ironworker” or “forger,” representing a long-held history of craftsmanship and perseverance that has lasted through generations. It also represents a sense of community, as both in the past and now, members of the Merrell family remain extremely proud of their surname and the work it stands for.
Order DNA origin analysisMerrel: Where does the name Merrel come from?
The last name Merrel is common today throughout many parts of the world. In the United States, Merrel is most common in the Midwestern and Southern parts of the country, primarily in states like Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, as well as Ohio and Indiana. According to the United States Census Bureau, rulings for the last name Merrel range from 250 to 9,000, making it one of the most common surnames in the country.
The last name Merrel is also quite common in Europe. The surname is found all across the continent, both in the United Kingdom (England, Ireland, and Scotland) as well as other countries such as Germany and Italy. According to a study conducted by Forebears, a genealogy company, Merrel is the 667th most frequent and popular surname in the world, with a frequency between 0.001 and 0.0001.
In the Caribbean, Merrel is most common in countries such as Jamaica, Haiti, Trinidad and Tobago, with many people bearing the surname tracing their roots back to those locations. In India, the name is most common in the northern states of Punjab and Rajasthan.
Furthermore, Merrel is also a common name found in several other countries, such as Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and even some parts of South America.
Variations of the surname Merrel
The surname Merrel has a few variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common variant of the name is Merrill, which is derived from the Middle English name Meryell and the Old French name Merou, which comes from the Latin word merulus, meaning 'on course of a boat'. Other variants of this name include Merril, Merrall, Merrell, Meriel, Merril, Meryll and Murrill.
The Merilli spelling of the surname could also have developed from a different source, the Italian name of Merillii. This name derived from an old Italian word mare, meaning 'sea' and meaning 'of the sea'. This is often used as a patronymic surname, meaning 'son of the sea'.
The spelling Merrel could also have its roots in the Irish name Morrel, from the Irish name Ó Maireail, meaning 'son of the teacher'. This could have been an occupational name for someone in the teaching profession or someone whose families may have had a lineage of teachers.
It is also possible that variations in the spelling of the surname arose due to various languages and dialects being spoken in various areas of the world. This could also have been due to the translations of the names from one language to another in different countries.
Overall, the surname Merrel has a variety of spellings, variants and surnames of the same origin. These include Merrill, Merril, Merrall, Merrell, Meriel, Merril, Meryll and Murrill, as well as Merilli and Morrel. The various sources for the spelling variations could include the Middle English name Meryell, the Old French name Merou, the Latin word merulus, the Irish name Ó Maireail and the Italian word mare.
Famous people with the name Merrel
- John Merrel: Country music singer
- Oakley Merrel: NFL player
- Blake Merrel: Freestyle skier
- Kim Merrel-Smith: Teacher and former beauty queen
- Lyle Merrel: Country guitarist
- Darryl Merrel: Former Major League Baseball player
- Francine Merrel: Opera singer
- Embla Merrel: Swimmer
- Ben Merrel: Olympic athlete
- Joseph Merrel: Civil War veteran
- Rob Merrel: Adventure traveler
- Geoffrey Merrel: Award-winning astronomer
- Siobhan Merrel: Professional ice skater
- Augustus Merrel: American judge and politician
- Carly Merrel: Motivational speaker and life coach
- Juliette Merrel: Best-selling novelist
- Trey Merrel: French jazz keyboardist
- Bree Merrel: Street artist
- India Merrel: Actress
- Georgia Merrel: Master ceramic artist