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Merriman Family History

Merriman Surname Meaning

English:: nickname from Middle English mirie merie murie ‘merry pleasant’ + man ‘man’. Compare Merry This surname is established in Ireland (perhaps as an Anglicized form of an unidentified Gaelic name; compare Marmion) as well as England.

There has probably been some confusion with Marriman probably an occupational name meaning ‘servant of Mary’ from the female personal name Mary (see Marie) + Middle English man in the sense ‘servant’.

Or perhaps a pet form of Mary using the hypocoristic suffix -man. The surname Marriman is now vanishingly rare in Britain and Ireland.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Merriman family from?

You can see how Merriman families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merriman family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merriman families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 139 Merriman families living in Pembrokeshire. This was about 11% of all the recorded Merriman's in United Kingdom. Pembrokeshire had the highest population of Merriman families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merriman surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Merriman ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Merriman. 14% of Merriman men worked as a General Labourer and 67% of Merriman women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Merriman were Insurance Agent and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Merriman | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    14%
  • Retired
    6%
  • Farmer
    6%
  • Insurance Agent
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    67%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Private Means
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Merriman family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 64,000 census records available for the last name Merriman. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merriman census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Merriman

Passenger Lists

There are 6,000 immigration records available for the last name Merriman. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Merriman immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 11,000 military records available for the last name Merriman. For the veterans among your Merriman ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Merriman military records

You've only scratched the surface of Merriman family history

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What is the average Merriman lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Merriman life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1945, and highest in 1942. The average life expectancy for Merriman in 1942 was 100, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merriman

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Merriman ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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