Find out how popular the last name Merat is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Merat.

Merat, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Merat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merat in America

Merat is the 159712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merat surname appeared 101 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Merat.

The history of the last name Merat

The surname Merat is believed to have originated in France, specifically in the region of Champagne. It is thought to have derived from the Old French word "merrain," which referred to the oak staves used to construct wine barrels. This suggests that the name may have been associated with those involved in the wine industry or cooperage trade.

Historically, the name Merat can be traced back to the 13th century, with records indicating its presence in the Champagne region during that time period. One of the earliest known references is found in the archives of the Abbey of Clairvaux, where a certain Jehan Merat is mentioned in a document dated 1287.

The name appears to have spread throughout various parts of France over the centuries, with variations in spelling such as Merrat, Merrat, and Merault being observed in different regions. One notable individual was Jacques Merat, a French botanist who lived from 1776 to 1858 and co-authored the influential work "Nouvelle Flore des environs de Paris" (New Flora of the Environs of Paris).

Another notable bearer of the name was François-Victor Merat, a French playwright and librettist who lived from 1761 to 1830. He is best known for his collaborations with the composer André Grétry, including the opera "Raoul, Sire de Créqui."

In the 17th century, the Merat family was established in the town of Reims, where they were involved in the wine trade. Jean-Baptiste Merat, born in 1688, was a prominent figure in the local wine industry and served as a member of the town council.

Moving forward to the 19th century, we find mention of Auguste Merat, a French lawyer and politician who lived from 1828 to 1901. He served as a deputy in the National Assembly and was known for his advocacy of workers' rights.

While not as prevalent as in France, the name Merat has also appeared in other parts of Europe, such as Belgium and Switzerland, likely due to migration patterns or intermarriages over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merat

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Merat.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Merat was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Merat was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Merat, please contact us.

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!