Merritt Surname Meaning & Origin
What the Merritt last name means, where the surname began and how it spread.
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Meaning and origin of the Merritt last name
Meaning of the Merritt last name: boundary gate. Merritt is usually an English surname from Merriott in Somerset, meaning "boundary gate". Early bearers are found in Somerset and the West Country. A curious detail of this surname origin: the last name is now far more common in the United States than in England, after an early settler of the Plymouth Colony and his descendants spread it through New England and New York.
Arms associated with the Merritt name
Heraldry uses only a few colours and metals, so a coat of arms associated with the Merritt surname can be read at a distance, and its blazon fits in a single line.
Get your full Merritt family history
This is only a glimpse of the Merritt story. The full Merritt history report goes much deeper into where the name began, who carried it and how the family spread, and it comes with a museum-style painted Merritt coat of arms. Get the full Merritt report.
Merritt name FAQ
What does the Merritt name mean?
Boundary gate. Common variants include Merriott, Merrett, Merritte.
Where does the Merritt surname come from?
It originates in England, and is also found in the United States, Canada and Australia.
Is there a Merritt coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals rather than to everyone with a surname. Herald Lab paints a personalized Merritt coat of arms in museum style, based on historic heraldry.
Sources: Reaney & Wilson, Dictionary of English Surnames; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford).