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Merrifield Family History

Merrifield Surname Meaning

English: habitational name chiefly from Merrifield or Mearfield in Cornwall, Merrivale in Devon, or from one or more of the six minor places in Devon called Merrifield. Some examples may be from similarly-named lost or unidentified minor localities in Essex, Kent, and Hampshire, or from either of two minor places called Merryfields in Sussex.

The placenames derive from Old English myrig ‘merry, pleasant’ + feld ‘open country’ (see Field).

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


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Where is the Merrifield family from?

You can see how Merrifield families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merrifield family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merrifield families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 255 Merrifield families living in Cornwall. This was about 31% of all the recorded Merrifield's in United Kingdom. Cornwall had the highest population of Merrifield families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merrifield 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 Merrifield ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, Gardener and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Merrifield. 14% of Merrifield men worked as a Gardener and 78% of Merrifield women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Merrifield were Incapacitated and Housekeeper.

View Census Data for Merrifield | 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

  • Gardener
    14%
  • Retired
    7%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Incapacitated
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    78%
  • House Duties
    3%
  • Private Means
    2%
  • Housekeeper
    2%

What Merrifield family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 32,000 census records available for the last name Merrifield. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merrifield census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Merrifield

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Merrifield. 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 Merrifield immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 4,000 military records available for the last name Merrifield. For the veterans among your Merrifield ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Merrifield military records

You've only scratched the surface of Merrifield family history

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What is the average Merrifield lifespan?

Between 1951 and 2004, in the United States, Merrifield life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1954, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Merrifield in 1951 was 44, and 73 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merrifield

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Merrifield 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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