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

Merling, 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 Merling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merling in America

Merling is the 104602nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merling surname appeared 171 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 Merling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Merling 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 Merling

The surname MERLING is of German origin, with roots dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the region of Bavaria, where it was likely derived from the Old High German word "merlin," which referred to a small falcon or merlin hawk.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MERLING surname can be found in the Deutsches Familiennamen-Lexikon, a comprehensive dictionary of German family names published in the late 19th century. This suggests that the name had already established itself in various parts of Germany by that time.

In the 14th century, a nobleman named Konrad Merling was mentioned in a manuscript detailing the local history of the town of Nürnberg, indicating that the name had spread to other regions of Germany by that period.

The MERLING surname has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. Hans Merling, a German painter and illustrator born in 1553, is known for his intricate woodcuts depicting biblical scenes and landscapes. His works have been preserved in various art museums across Europe.

Another prominent individual with this surname was Johann Merling, a German theologian and philosopher who lived from 1624 to 1701. He authored several influential texts on religious philosophy and ethics, which were widely studied in academic circles of his time.

In the 18th century, a German composer and organist named Johann Valentin Merling (1697-1763) gained recognition for his contributions to sacred music. His compositions were performed in churches and cathedrals throughout Germany and neighboring regions.

The name MERLING has also been linked to certain place names, such as the town of Merlingen in the Swiss canton of Bern. While the exact connection between the surname and this location is uncertain, it suggests that the name may have been associated with specific geographic areas in the past.

It is worth noting that variations in spelling, such as Merlin, Merling, and Merlinger, were common throughout the centuries due to regional dialects and inconsistencies in record-keeping practices. However, the core meaning and origins of the surname remained largely consistent across these variations.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merling

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

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

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

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