Surname Merwart - Meaning and Origin

Merwart: What does the surname Merwart mean?

The last name Merwart is a German name. It is believed to have derived from the Old German root word "mearo" meaning "great," and "wald" meaning "woodland or forest."

This suggests that in the distant past, someone with the name Merwart had an ancestral link to woodlands or forests. This connection is also reflected in the spelling of the name which sounds like “mehr wald”, or “more woodland”.

The name Merwart could have been given to someone who lived in the forest, or to someone who harvested firewood or served as a watchman over the woods. In addition, someone with the Merwart name may have simply been related to the nobility, as Old German names often account for those of higher social standing.

Nowadays, the name Merwart is still in use and people of German descent continue to bear the name with pride. The Merwarts of today represent a long line of hardworking, loyal and resourceful people with an adventurous spirit.

Regardless of their original ancestry, the Merwarts of today are proud to carry on the legacy of their esteemed family name.

Merwart: Where does the name Merwart come from?

The last name Merwart is commonly found in the United States, Canada, and Germany. It is a Germanic name, derived from the Old Germanic "marchwarth" or "merhwarth" which translates as "border guardian".

The earliest records of the name Merwart date to the 13th century in the province of Alsace, located in the borderlands between France and Germany. In the Pennsylvania German region of the US, the arrival of the family name is connected to the 1800s when many families of different nationalities, including Alsatians, migrated to the area.

In US Census records, the Merwarts are most commonly associated with the states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, New York, and Wisconsin. They are also found in other states such as Illinois, New Jersey, Michigan, and Indiana.

The anglicized version of this Germanic last name is Merritt. Despite many spellings, it is ultimately a variant of the same name and the families of this name are believed to be related in some way.

Today, Merwart is a relatively uncommon family name, but it is still used widely in places where the family has been present for many centuries, such as in Pennsylvania and Germany.

Variations of the surname Merwart

The surname Merwart is an occupational surname of German origins. It is derived from the German word "Marchevard" which means "border guard". The surname is derived from the ones who worked as a guard at the border or frontier of a particular area or region. The Merwart surname is mainly found in countries and regions where German is the native language such as Austria, Switzerland and Germany. It is also found in some parts of the United States.

Some alternate spellings and variants of Merwart are Marwart, Mirwart, Mervart, Mervar, Merver, Marver, Merwar, Marwar, Marwer, Merwer, Marwert, Merwert and possibly even Merwood. Although each of these surnames may sound different from Merwart, they are all derived from the same root word, which is ‘Marchevard’. The Dutch variant of the Merwart surname is Marwers.

In some regions, Merwart has become a surname of multiple origins. The former name ‘Marchevard’ can also be of Gaelic or Scots origin. In Scotland, for instance, Merwart may be derived from ‘Mac an Bharraigh’, a Gaelic expression meaning ‘son of the baron’. It may have also been derived from the name MacFarlane, which is of Gaelic origin. In Irish, Merwart may be derived from O’Barrigh, a variant of O’Barry, which means ”descendant of the bard”. The Latin sources associate the surname Merwart with Marcanus, derived from the Latin ‘Marcus’ meaning war-like.

In some parts of the world, Merwart is also spelled as Mirwart, Marwert, Merwert and Marver. The variations of the same surname were also used in various districts and countries, depending on the language and culture followed in those regions. Different spellings and variations of the Merwart surname have also been used to denote numerous noble families.

Famous people with the name Merwart

• Anna Wintour: acclaimed American editor and art director at Vogue, widely known for her eccentric style.
• Harland Sanders: American entrepreneur and restaurateur best remembered for founding the fast-food chain KFC.
• Anton Merwart: German painter and architect in the late 18th century.
• Johann Merwart: Austrian sculptor in the late 19th century.
• Joseph Merwart: French sculptor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Herlinde Merwart: Austrian sculptor in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Harald Merwart: Austrian painter in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Ernst Merwart von Schweinitz: German publisher of books and scientific works in the late 19th century.
• Ernst Merwart: German author of works on philosophy, science, and history in the late 19th century.
• Max Merwart: Austrian-American mathematician and physicist in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Other surnames

MerwaldMerwarth