Surname Mergell - Meaning and Origin

Mergell: What does the surname Mergell mean?

The last name Mergell is thought to be a habitational surname, meaning it is derived from a place of residence. This place is believed to be a small settlement named Mergell located in Pemmeeren in northern Germany.

The word Mergell is assumed to originate from the old Dutch word “mergel”, meaning “marl” or limestone-based soil. This is thought to be due to the fact that limestone-based soil can be found in abundance in and around Mergell.

The Mergell surname is often seen in records of the early 16th century. It is believed to have first appeared in 1521, when a Johannes de Marcellis from Pemmeeren was mentioned in documents. As the area was largely agricultural, the name Mergell came to be associated with farming and farming-related occupations.

Today, the Mergell surname is found worldwide, though it is still mostly concentrated in Germany, the Netherlands, and the United States. Although only a few people are associated with the Mergell surname, the sense of heritage of those individuals remains strong. Many individuals with the Mergell name still take pride in sharing its unique history and background.

Mergell: Where does the name Mergell come from?

The last name Mergell is commonly found throughout mainland Europe, though the highest concentrations are in France, Germany, and Switzerland. France is notable for having the most number of records bearing the name as it appeared as early as the 13th century.

Germany, due to its past with the Holy Roman Empire, also has many records of the surname throughout its history. Similarly, Switzerland was an important part of the Holy Roman Empire up until the 16th century and, as a result, many records of the surname exist in the region.

Today, the name Mergell, sometimes spelled Mersell or Mershall, is still common in the countries mentioned above. It is most prevalent in France, with the highest concentration being in the Auvergne region of central France. It is also quite common in southwestern Germany and eastern France, due to the close proximity of these countries. Furthermore, its presence in Switzerland is still noticeable, though more scattered than in the other countries.

Overall, the surname Mergell is still a common one in mainland Europe. It is most heavily represented in France, Germany, and Switzerland, and can also still be found in other countries including Austria and the Netherlands.

Variations of the surname Mergell

The surname Mergell has different variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin. Mergel and Mergelle, are the most common variants that are used today. Many times people have dropped the double ‘L’, which results in the spelling Mergel.

Merges and Margellus are alternate spellings of Mergell, which originated from a north German family with the same spelling. It is also believed to have originated from the region of Moselle in France.

The surnames Mergelman, Margelman, Mercedes, Marceau, Marsella, Merse, and Mercier are surnames that have originated from the surname Mergell. Additionally, the surnames Margel, Margeles, Merce, Merced, Mercel, Margelis, Marxel, and Marxell are all spellings that are derived from the surname Mergell.

In some cases people have changed their surnames to sound more European, which is why non-Germanic variants of the surname Mergell have possibly evolved, such as Margolis and Margolese. Furthermore, the Mergel surname has evolved in some versions to Marjill, Merjill, and Marcello, due to overlapping spellings of other words.

It is likely that different families with the same origin have adopted different variants of the Mergell surname, depending on their location and language. In addition, other people may have adapted the original surname Mergell to sound more unique or to fit societal norms.

Famous people with the name Mergell

• Michael Mergell: a former American football player and coach
• Stephan Mergell: an Austrian composer and pianist
• Christian Mergell: a former German track and field athlete and Olympic bronze medalist
• Kurt Mergell: a former Polish long-distance runner
• Ferdinand Mergell: a German marine zoologist and oceanographer
• Jeffrey Mergell: an American film actor
• William Mergell: a Canadian aircraft flight engineer
• Herman Mergell: an Australian amateur radio operator and journalist
• Erik Mergell: an American professional swimmer
• Heinrich Mergell: an Austrian economist, traveler and writer

Other surnames

MergelMergele