Meaning and origin
The last name Merrill has its origins in both England and Wales. It derives from the Old Welsh personal name Meurig or the Old English personal name Mǣrwine, both of which were popular during the medieval period. Over time, these personal names gradually transformed into surnames, and variants such as Meryll, Merryll, and Merrall emerged. The surname Merrill can be found across English-speaking countries today and reflects the rich interplay between Welsh and English linguistic traditions.
Surname origins are rarely settled: one spelling can have several sources, and families often took a name for reasons nobody wrote down. Check it against the sources below before you rely on it.
#1,073
Merrill was the 1,073rd most common surname in the 2010 US Census, with 32,620 people, about 11 in every 100,000.
Who carries it
Check the sources
- Forebears: where Merrill is found around the world
- The Internet Surname Database: a second opinion on the origin
- US Census Bureau: the 2010 surname figures used here
For a name you are serious about, compare the dictionaries: Reaney and Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames; Hanks, Dictionary of American Family Names.