Merrill Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Merrill last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Merrill last name
Meaning of the Merrill last name: from Muriel. Merrill is an English surname from the medieval woman's name Muriel, of Celtic origin, perhaps meaning "sea bright", brought to England by Bretons after the Norman Conquest. A curious detail of this surname origin: it is one of the last names that come from a mother rather than a father, and a Merrill who settled in Massachusetts in the 1630s founded a large New England family.
Arms associated with the Merrill name
Coats of arms associated with the Merrill surname follow English heraldry, where each blazon names the colours first and then the figures, such as lions, bands or stars.
Get your full Merrill family history
This is only a glimpse of the Merrill story. The full Merrill history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Merrill coat of arms. Get the full Merrill report.
Merrill name FAQ
What does the Merrill name mean?
From Muriel. Common variants include Merrell, Meril, Merrel.
Where does the Merrill surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Merrill coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Merrill coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).