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

Merryman, 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 Merryman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Merryman in America

Merryman is the 8572nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Merryman surname appeared 3,843 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Merryman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Merryman 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 Merryman

The surname MERRYMAN is of English origin, and it traces its roots back to the medieval period. This name is thought to have derived from the Old English words "myrige" and "man," which together translate to "merry man" or "joyful person." The earliest records indicate that the name was first used as a descriptive nickname for someone with a cheerful or mirthful disposition.

The name MERRYMAN can be found in various historical documents, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which recorded landowners and taxpayers in England. One notable entry from this period is Willelmus le Meryman, who was listed as a resident of Norfolk.

In the 14th century, the surname appears in the Calendarium Genealogicum, a record of English families and their heraldic arms. This document mentions a John Merryman, born around 1320, who hailed from Warwickshire.

During the Tudor period, the MERRYMAN name appeared in several parish records and court rolls. One such example is Richard Merryman, born in 1546 in Gloucestershire, who was mentioned in the Manor Court Rolls of Campden.

In the 17th century, the name MERRYMAN was associated with several notable individuals. One was John Merryman, a merchant and landowner from Yorkshire, who lived from 1612 to 1685. Another was William Merryman, born in 1638 in Lincolnshire, who served as a magistrate and was involved in local politics.

The 18th century saw the rise of a prominent MERRYMAN family in Maryland, United States. John Merryman, born in 1741, was a wealthy landowner and businessman who played a role in the American Revolutionary War. His descendants continued to be influential in the state for generations.

In the 19th century, the MERRYMAN name was associated with several literary figures. One was James Merryman, an English poet and novelist born in 1820 in Staffordshire, who wrote several works exploring themes of love and nature. Another was Henry Merryman, born in 1845 in Oxfordshire, who was a renowned playwright and essayist known for his witty satirical works.

Throughout its history, the surname MERRYMAN has been found in various locations across England, including Norfolk, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire, Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire, and Oxfordshire, as well as in the United States, particularly in Maryland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Merryman

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

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

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

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