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

Merlan, 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 Merlan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merlan in America

Merlan is the 54418th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merlan surname appeared 379 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 Merlan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Merlan 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 Merlan

The surname Merlan is believed to have its origins in France, specifically in the region of Normandy. It emerged during the Middle Ages, around the 11th or 12th century. The name is derived from the Old French word "merlan," which means "whiting," a type of fish. This suggests that the name may have initially referred to someone who caught or sold whiting for a living.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Merlan can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, a comprehensive survey of land and landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. This document mentions a landowner named Radulfus Merlan, indicating the presence of this surname in Normandy during the 11th century.

In the 13th century, there are records of a nobleman named Gervais Merlan, who was a vassal to the Count of Anjou in the region of Anjou, France. His name appears in several charters and legal documents from that period.

During the 14th century, the surname Merlan appears to have spread beyond France. In England, there are records of a merchant named John Merlan, who was involved in the wool trade and lived in the city of Bristol around 1320.

One of the most notable figures with the surname Merlan was Jehan Merlan, a French poet and composer who lived during the 15th century (c. 1430-1480). He was associated with the Burgundian court and is known for his contributions to the genre of chansons, which were popular during the Renaissance.

Another prominent individual was Jean Merlan (1595-1670), a French Jesuit priest and philosopher. He was born in Toul, France, and was a respected scholar who wrote extensively on topics such as metaphysics and natural philosophy.

In the 18th century, there was a French military officer named Louis-François Merlan (1732-1805), who served in the French Revolutionary Wars and rose to the rank of General.

The surname Merlan has also been associated with place names, such as the village of Merlan in the department of Isère, France, which may have influenced the formation of the surname in some cases.

While the surname Merlan is not as common as some other French surnames, it has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval times, with connections to various professions, such as fishing, trade, and military service, as well as cultural contributions in the fields of literature and philosophy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merlan

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

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

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

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