Meller History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
France
Ireland

The distinguished surname Meller emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Meller family originally lived in Milor in Cornwall. The surname Meller belongs to the category of habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads.

Early Origins of the Meller family

The surname Meller was first found in the parish of Milor in Cornwall. "The parish of Milor derives its name from Melor or St. Melor, to whom the church was dedicated at a very early period. At what exact time St. Melor flourished, is a point that has given rise to much debate. All Towever admit that such a person did exist, that he was a native of Cornwall, was high in dignity, had embraced the Christian faith, and was finally murdered with circumstances of peculiar barbarity. 411, in which chronology he is supported by the authority of Archbishop Usher. Capgrave observes, that “when in the beginning of the Christian faith, the apostolical doctrine was spread into all nations over the world : the gentiles of Britain were converted to the faith, and many believing in the Lord and practising the apostolical precepts, shone with various and miraculous virtues, of the number of which we confidently believe blessed Melor to have been one. For the blessed Melor was of a noble family in Britain, his father being Melian who possessed the dutchy of Cornwall.” An ancient life of this saint or martyr, quoted by Leland, says, that “Melor was the son of Melian king of Cornwall, by Haurilla the daughter of Rivold Earl of Devonshire." 1

Early History of the Meller family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meller research. Another 93 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Meller History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meller Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Mellers, Mellors, Meller, Mellor, Melliar and others.

Early Notables of the Meller family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Sir Robert Meller of Bredy

Meller migration to the United States +

Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Meller:

Meller Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thom Meller, who arrived in Virginia in 1651 2
John Meller, who arrived in Maryland in 1679 2

Meller Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sarah Meller, who settled in Maryland in 1720 with her husband
Felicks Meller, aged 40, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Hans Jacob Meller, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Johan Georg Meller, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 2
Augustine Meller, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1750 2
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Meller Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Barbara Meller, who landed in America in 1843 2
Fredrick George Meller, aged 20, who landed in New York in 1849 2
Robert Meller, aged 22, who landed in New York in 1862 2

Meller migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Meller Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Meller, English convict who was convicted in Salford, Manchester, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Belgravia" on 4th April 1866, arriving in Western Australia 3

Contemporary Notables of the name Meller (post 1700) +

Sir John Meller, British Barrister
Alfred Meller, Australian Stockbroker

Citations +

Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 30th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/belgravia