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

Merillat, 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 Merillat surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merillat in America

Merillat is the 40672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merillat surname appeared 537 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 Merillat.

We can also compare 2010 data for Merillat 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 Merillat

The surname Merillat has its origins in France, specifically in the northern regions of the country. It is believed to have originated in the 12th or 13th century, derived from the French word "meril," which means a blackbird or a merle. The name may have initially been a nickname given to someone with dark hair or complexion, resembling a blackbird.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in a document from the year 1289, which mentions a certain "Jehan Merillat" residing in the village of Villers-le-Sec, located in the Picardy region of northern France. This suggests that the name may have already been established in the area during that time period.

There are also records from the 14th century indicating the presence of the Merillat family in the neighboring region of Champagne. In particular, a manuscript from 1345 mentions a "Guillaume Merillat" who was a landowner in the town of Sézanne.

As the name spread across different regions of France, variations in spelling began to emerge, such as Merilat, Merillart, and Merillard. These variations were likely due to regional dialects and the inconsistencies in record-keeping during those times.

One notable figure in history with the surname Merillat was Jean-Baptiste Merillat (1602-1676), a French priest and theologian who served as a canon of the Cathedral of Reims. He was known for his contributions to the study of canon law and his writings on ecclesiastical matters.

Another individual of note was Pierre Merillat (1729-1795), a French military officer who served during the French Revolutionary Wars. He rose to the rank of general and played a significant role in several battles against the coalition forces.

In the 19th century, Émile Merillat (1832-1901) was a prominent French architect who designed several notable buildings in Paris, including the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées and the Église Saint-Pierre de Montrouge.

Moving to more recent times, Jacques Merillat (1920-2006) was a French businessman and industrialist who founded the Merillat Corporation, a leading manufacturer of kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities in the United States.

Lastly, Marie-Louise Merillat (1945-2021) was a French author and journalist who wrote extensively on cultural and social issues, particularly focusing on the experiences of women in modern society.

While the surname Merillat has its roots in France, it has since spread to other parts of the world, including North America and other European countries, thanks to various waves of migration over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merillat

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

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

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

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