Merlin Family Crest, Coat of Arms and Name History

Merlin Origin:

England, Scotland

Origins of Merlin:

According to the early recordings of the spelling of the name, this interesting and unique name was listed in many forms, this is an Anglo-Scottish surname. It is either a geographical name from any of the various places called Moreland, prominently in the Borders area and in the old district of Kinross or a geographical name for “a resident on moorland.” It is from the pre 7th century Olde English “mor” which means a swamp or marsh, and “land.” The surname records back to the mid-13th Century, and other early documentations contain Henry atte Morlonde in the Premium Rolls of Sussex in 1296, and William de Moreland in the Tax Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1327. The surname spellings contain Moreland, Morlande, Morlan, Morlen Morlin, Morling, Marlen, Merlin, and more. Documentations from remaining parish records of the city of London contain as Mathewe Moreland, named at St. Stephen’s Coleman Street, in September 1579, Anne Marlen who married Roger Thorpe at All Hallows, London Wall, in April 1622. Francis Morlon who married John Henley at St Brides Fleet Street, in December 1655, and Thomas Marling, a witness at St Botolphs without Bishopgate, in September 1795.

Variations:

More common variations are: Soutter, Suter, Soutar, Sowter, Sutter, Souttar.

England:

The surname Merlin first appeared in Gloucestershire where they held a family seat as kings of the castle. The Saxon command of English history declined after the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The language of the courts was French for the next three centuries, and the Norman atmosphere controlled.

The very first recording spelling of the family was shown to be that of Edith de la Morland, dated about 1357, in the “Middle English Local Surnames.” It was during the time of King Henry III who was known to be the “The Frenchman,” dated 1216 – 1272. The origin of surnames during this period became a necessity with the introduction of personal taxation. It came to be known as Poll Tax in England.

Ireland:

Many of the people with surname Merlin had moved to Ireland during the 17th century.

United States of America:

Some of the individuals with the name Merlin who arrived in the United States in the 19th century included Merlin, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851.

Canada:

Some of the people with the surname Merlin who came to Canada in the 17th century included Simon Merlin, who arrived in Acadia in 1636.

Here is the population distribution of the last name Merlin: England 1,877; United Stata 1,573; Australia 1,038; South Africa 840; Scotland 781; Canada 535; New Zealand 161; France 135; Chile 72; Switzerland 63.

Notable People:

Antoine Christophe Merlin (1762–1833), a.k.a. “Merlin de Thionville,” was a French leader.

Edin Dervišhalidović was born in September 1962, known by his stage name Dino Merlin. He is a Bosnian singer, composer, musician, and generator. He is one of the most important and commercially successful writers from Bosnia and Herzegovina and is also widely famous in the other countries of the former Yugoslavia.

Jean-Claude Merlin (born 1954), is a French stargazer.

John Joseph Merlin (1735–1803), was a Belgian architect and horologist.

Laurent Merlin (born 1984), is a French football player.

Philippe-Antoine Merlin de Douai (1754–1838) was a French leader and advocate.

Roberto D. Merlin is an Argentine scientist and Peter A. Franken Collegiate Professor of Physics and Professor of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the University of Michigan. He was famous, among other things, for his work on quasiperiodic superlattices, squeezed phonons.

Serge Merlin (né en 1933) is a French actor. He is well-known for performing the role of Raymond Dufayel in Amélie, a 2001 romantic comedy film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

Shmuel Merlin (1910–1994), was a Zionist activist, Irgun member, and Israeli leader.

Sidney Merlin (1856–1952), was a Greek biologist and sports shooter.

Blazons & Genealogy Notes

(Edward Merlin, Portcullis Pursuivant at Arms, temp. Queen Elizabeth, 1559). Az. a bend raguled, in the sinister chief a ducal coronet or.