Surname Merwede - Meaning and Origin

Merwede: What does the surname Merwede mean?

The last name "Merwede" is of Dutch origin and derives from the river Merwede located in the southwestern Netherlands. This river was historically significant as a primary waterway, providing both trade routes and strategic advantages. As a surname, it possibly acted as a topographic identifier for families living near this river. Therefore, "Merwede" can be translated to mean "of the Merwede river". Like many other surnames based on locations, the bearers of the "Merwede" surname might have strong historical or familial connections with the regions surrounding the Merwede river. It also implies the common Dutch practice of deriving surnames from geographical features.

Merwede: Where does the name Merwede come from?

The last name MERWEDE is mostly found in the Netherlands today. The Merwede surname is a Dutch topographical name that originated from several matches of water and forests of the same name, which were centred in the provinces of Gelderland and Overijssel. The original Merwede Valleys were situated close to the border with Germany.

The Merwede surname likely dates back to the eighth century, when Dutch surnames were first documented. At the time, the Merwede Valleys were still forests and swamps playing host to a variety of wild game. The Merwede Valleys were the regions’ main source of sustenance, and eventually became the origin of the Merwede surname.

The Merwede surname today is mainly clustered around two major cities, Zutphen and Doesburg, in Gelderland. Zutphen and Doesburg are located on the IJssel, one of the rivers flowing off the Rhine, and were the centre of the Merwede Valleys' commerce and industry.

There are minor populations of Merwedes scattered throughout the Netherlands, however the majority of people with the Merwede vast name can be found in these two cities. Furthermore, large groups of Merwedes can also be found in the larger cities of Amsterdam and Rotterdam.

Due to emigration, Merwedes can also be found in Canada, the United States, and Australia, however the inhabitants of the Merwede Valleys in the Netherlands remain the most significant population carrying the Merwede name.

Variations of the surname Merwede

Variants

The surname Merwede has a variety of known variants, spellings, and other surnames of the same origin. The most commonly seen variations are:

•Merwedede

•Merwedde

•Merwede

•Merwaay

•Merwaag

•Merway

•Merwa

•Merwaed

•Merwaede

•Merwaid

•Merwede-Heuvel

•Merweyde

•Merwed

Spellings

There are also a number of alternative spellings which can be seen from time to time, these include:

• Merwedd

• Marwede

• Mirwede

• Mirwaay

• Merwaayer

• Marwaay

• Mervade

• Mervaid

• Marweide

• Marwaed

• Mervadey

Surnames of the same origin

Over the years, other surnames have developed from the Merwede surname, or that have a similar origin. These names include:

•Meruwee

•Meruwe

•Meruvel

•Mervelt

•Mervel

•Mervella

•Merval

•Mervell

•Mevissen

•Meviessen

•Merwe

•Meuwissen

•Meuwessen

•Merwitz

•Merweissen

•Mervits

•Meuwis

•Meuwese

•Mevis

•Meuse

•Mewes

•Merwisch

•Merwin

•Merwinkel

•Mervin

•Mervyn.

Famous people with the name Merwede

• Michel Merwedde: former Dutch professional hockey player and coach who served from 2010 to 2016 as the coach of the Dutch national men’s ice hockey team.
• Carli Merwedde: Dutch professional women’s soccer midfielder playing for FC Twente.
• Anneke Merwedde: Dutch poet and fiction writer.
• Marijke Merwedde: Dutch painter and choreographer.
• Marleen Merwedde: Dutch professional women’s soccer goalkeeper, currently playing for 1st Division B club FC Twente.
• Morten Merwedde: former Norwegian football goalkeeper who played for Rosenborg BK in the Norwegian Premier Division.
• Cees Merwedde: Dutch professional photographer.
• Mathias Merwedde: German footballer who currently plays for MSV Duisburg.
• Torsten Merwedde: German professional football player who currently plays for Oberliga Niederrhein side SG Oberhausen.
• Jan Merwedde: German basketball coach and former professional player.
• Teun Merwedde: former Dutch professional footballer who spent most of his career with Vitesse Arnhem.
• Kasper Merwedde: Dutch professional footballer who currently plays in the Eredivisie for FC Utrecht.
• Moritz Merwedde: German professional soccer player for German 5th division team FC Schalke 04.

Other surnames

Merwerth