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

Merel, 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 Merel surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merel in America

Merel is the 95115th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merel surname appeared 192 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 Merel.

We can also compare 2010 data for Merel to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Merel

The surname MEREL is believed to have originated in the Netherlands, with its earliest recorded examples dating back to the late 16th century. It is thought to be derived from the Dutch word "merel," which means "blackbird." This suggests that the name may have been initially used as a descriptive surname, perhaps referring to someone with dark hair or complexion, or someone who lived near an area where blackbirds were commonly found.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name MEREL appeared in various Dutch records and documents, particularly in the provinces of Noord-Holland and Zuid-Holland. Some of the earliest known individuals with this surname include Jan Merel, born in Amsterdam in 1624, and Pieter Merel, a merchant from Rotterdam who was active in the 1680s.

The name MEREL is also found in some historical references from other parts of Europe, possibly due to migration or trade. For instance, there are records of a Nicolaes Merel, a merchant from Antwerp, Belgium, who was involved in the cloth trade with England in the early 17th century.

As the name spread across Europe, different spelling variations emerged, such as Merelle, Merelle, and Merelle. In some regions, the name may have also been influenced by local dialects or pronunciation, leading to variations like Merli or Merlini.

One notable figure with the surname MEREL was Willem Merel, a Dutch painter who lived in the late 17th century. He is known for his landscape paintings and depictions of rural life in the Netherlands.

Another individual of historical significance was Pieter Merel, a Dutch military officer who served in the Dutch East Indies (present-day Indonesia) during the late 18th century. He was involved in several campaigns against local rulers and played a role in the Dutch colonial expansion in the region.

In the 19th century, the name MEREL appeared in various records across Europe, including France, Germany, and Italy. This may have been due to migration patterns or intermarriage between families from different regions.

One example from this period is Marie-Louise Merel, a French artist born in Paris in 1825. She was known for her portraits and genre paintings, and her works were exhibited at the prestigious Paris Salon.

Towards the end of the 19th century, the MEREL surname also started appearing in historical records from other parts of the world, such as the United States and Canada, likely due to immigration from Europe.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merel

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

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 Merel 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Merel has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Merel was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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