MEYRICK

Meyrick is a surname of ancient provenance, historically linked to both Latin and Welsh linguistic traditions. It is recorded as a patronymic name that originally denoted the descendant of an individual bearing a personal name which itself has a distinct etymology.

The Latin element of the surname derives from the Roman given name Mauritius, which is understood to mean “dark‑skinned” or “Moorish”. The name Mauritius was adopted into the Welsh language as Meurig, a personal name that was common among medieval Welsh families. The Welsh form reflects a direct linguistic evolution from the Latin root, and the personal name was subsequently feminised or altered in spelling to give rise to the surname Meyrick.

Early documentary evidence shows that the name was variantiously recorded as Meyric, Merrick and Meurick. The earliest surviving record appears to be that of Meuric de Hope, dated 1272, in the charter rolls known as the “Testa de Neville” during the reign of King Edward I. Subsequent entries include a Henrye Merriche in the Poll Tax rolls of Yorkshire in 1379, a David Meyrick of Bodorgan, North Wales in 1415, and a Richard Merrick, who married Martha Tither in London in 1610.

Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, the Old French personal name Maurice was introduced into the English and Welsh lexicon, and a number of families adopted the surname in this form or with minor variations. The Norman influence is evidenced by the presence of the name in legal and manorial documents of the 12th and 13th centuries, and by connections to prominent families who claimed descent from the Norman establishment at that time.

In Scotland the surname appears as a locational form associated with the place called Merrick near Minigaff, Dumfries and Galloway. The place-name itself is derived from the Gaelic word meurach, meaning a “branch or fork of a road or river”. Early Scottish references are scarce but do confirm that the surname was adopted by families residing near that locality, and it is recorded in the 17th century in the parish of St. Andrew’s on the Island of Barbados, where a John Merrick Esq. held substantial landholding.

In contemporary times, the surname Meyrick is most frequently found in the United Kingdom, and within the countries of the British Commonwealth such as Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It also maintains a presence in continental Europe, particularly in Germany, Italy and France, and in the United States it is largely concentrated in the southeastern states. The surname remains a patronymic designation, indicating descent from an ancestor named Meurig or a variant thereof.

Throughout history, variations such as Meyrig, Meyrigs, Meirick, Merrick, Meredyth and Mayrick have all been linked to the same Welsh lineage, as evidenced by genealogical research. These variations stem from differences in orthography, regional dialects and the anglicisation of the original name as families migrated or were recorded by local officials in differing time periods.

Typical given names associated with the Meyrick surname

Male

• Alan
• Andrew
• Brian
• Christopher
• David
• Jeffrey
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Richard
• Robert
• Stephen
• William

Female

• Angela
• Catherine
• Dorothy
• Jane
• Karen
• Margaret
• Mary
• Patricia
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Meyrick in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Famous people named Meyrick

• Denzil Meyrick -
• Jonathan Meyrick - Bishop of Lynn
• Edward Meyrick - Entomologist and schoolmaster (1854 to 1938)
• Andy Meyrick - Racing driver
• John Meyrick - Agriculturalist and rower (1926 to 2004)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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