New Post
Search
Help
ArchivesMerald .. origin and meaning?
My father's middle name, Merald, is not in any name dictionary I can find online although it is not unknown, if you search US records there are quite a few Meralds out there. My father had a Welsh grandmother, and one person I located said it was a variant of a Welsh name, Meredydd. But I can find no confirmation of that anywhere.
1
Replies
I found, that Merald is also a lesser known catholic saint from France with name variants Medrald, Merald, Merault, Meraut. The saint in question died in 850, so a germanic etymology is very likely here.
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-medrald/
http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-medrald/
1
BTW., in german langauge the name composed of MAR and WALD becomes Marold. It survived mainly as a surname allthough some living bearers of the first name Marold exist, too. To become Merald some vowel shift is needed.
1
I think the most likely explanation is that this is a variation of Merrill influenced by the sound of names like Gerald, Harold, etc.
In U.S. census records, the name occurs extremely rarely before 1900.
In 1850, there are three females and three males listed as Merald in the index. Of the three males, one of them seems clearly to be a misreading of the census taker's handwriting.
In 1860, there is only one male listed in the index as Merald. He was born in Germany and the census taker's handwriting is hard to decipher. There are three female Meralds in the index that year.
In 1870, there are four females and two males listed as Merald. Of the two males, one is a mistaken reading of "Miron." The other is an African-American ten-year-old in Mississippi.
In 1880, there are only two Meralds, but both are male. One is hard to trace; ironically, the other, Merald McCoy, then six years old and living in North Carolina, had his name clearly written as "Merril" by the 1880 census taker, and only turns up as Merald in the index because he is also clearly the same man who was later drafted during World War I as "Merald" and who turns up as Merald L. McCoy living in Skagit County, Washington in the 1910 census.
Merald is the sort of name variation that may not even be a conscious attempt to blend Merrill with Gerald, but may simply arise from mishearing or misremembering. I am sure that the word and name Emerald may also have been part of the reason for this. But it doesn't seem to be a name that goes back in history in a way that would make an original Germanic or Welsh origin likely. I really just think a spontaneously occuring variation of Merrill is the best explanation.
In U.S. census records, the name occurs extremely rarely before 1900.
In 1850, there are three females and three males listed as Merald in the index. Of the three males, one of them seems clearly to be a misreading of the census taker's handwriting.
In 1860, there is only one male listed in the index as Merald. He was born in Germany and the census taker's handwriting is hard to decipher. There are three female Meralds in the index that year.
In 1870, there are four females and two males listed as Merald. Of the two males, one is a mistaken reading of "Miron." The other is an African-American ten-year-old in Mississippi.
In 1880, there are only two Meralds, but both are male. One is hard to trace; ironically, the other, Merald McCoy, then six years old and living in North Carolina, had his name clearly written as "Merril" by the 1880 census taker, and only turns up as Merald in the index because he is also clearly the same man who was later drafted during World War I as "Merald" and who turns up as Merald L. McCoy living in Skagit County, Washington in the 1910 census.
Merald is the sort of name variation that may not even be a conscious attempt to blend Merrill with Gerald, but may simply arise from mishearing or misremembering. I am sure that the word and name Emerald may also have been part of the reason for this. But it doesn't seem to be a name that goes back in history in a way that would make an original Germanic or Welsh origin likely. I really just think a spontaneously occuring variation of Merrill is the best explanation.
1
This may be a stretch, but could it possibly be a variant of Emerald? I had a great, great, great-something uncle named Emerald, so I know it could be used as a man's name. I have also found some other odd-looking names that turned out to be from the second part of more common names (Lemon from the biblical name Philemon, Lige from Elijah).
1