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Merl Family History

Merl Surname Meaning

Jewish (Ashkenazic): from the Yiddish female personal name Merl a pet form of Hebrew Miryam (see Mirkin).

German: nickname from Middle High German merl(in) ‘thrush’ for a person who had something in common with the bird.

Austrian German: nickname or metonymic occupational name for a carrot grower or dealer from Middle High German morhe ‘carrot’.

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


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Where is the Merl family from?

You can see how Merl families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merl family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merl families were found in USA in 1920. In 1891 there were 7 Merl families living in London. This was about 58% of all the recorded Merl's in United Kingdom. London had the highest population of Merl families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merl surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Merl ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Ladies Costume Designer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Merl. 100% of Merl men worked as a Ladies Costume Designer and 100% of Merl women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties.

View Census Data for Merl | 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

  • Ladies Costume Designer
    100%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    100%

What Merl family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 1,000 census records available for the last name Merl. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merl census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Merl

Passenger Lists

There are 520 immigration records available for the last name Merl. 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 Merl immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 852 military records available for the last name Merl. For the veterans among your Merl ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Merl military records

You've only scratched the surface of Merl family history

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What is the average Merl lifespan?

Between 1947 and 2004, in the United States, Merl life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1947, and highest in 1994. The average life expectancy for Merl in 1947 was 41, and 92 in 2004.

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Merl 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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