| ![Show Contents]() Merricks History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The ancestors of the Celtic name Merricks came from the rugged landscape of Wales. This old, proud name derives from the personal name Meuric, which is the Welsh form of Maurice. The surname Merricks is ultimately derived from the Latin personal name Mauritius, which means "dark." 1 In Britain, Maurice was the learned form of the name, while Morice was the common form. Early Origins of the Merricks familyThe surname Merricks was first found in Anglesey (Welsh: Ynys Môn), a Welsh-speaking island, and present day County of Isle of Anglesey, located at the northwestern extremity of Wales. The family was traditionally understood to be descended from Mrien, Lord of Rheged, through Cadaval Ynad, a Judge of Powys, who lived about 1190. The senior branch of the line settled in Anglesey where Samuel Cadaval was Lord of Cydywain. His son, Tudor ap Madoc, married the daughter of the Prince of North Wales. Einiawn Ap David, his successor was Usher at the Palace of Sheen. Early History of the Merricks familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Merricks research. Another 158 words (11 lines of text) covering the years 1379, 1485, 1505, 1538, 1556, 1558, 1563, 1566, 1576, 1582, 1588, 1599, 1601, 1610, 1636, 1640, 1660, 1666, 1674, 1712, 1713 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Merricks History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Merricks Spelling VariationsCompared to other ancient cultures found in the British Isles, the number of Welsh surnames are relatively few, but there are an inordinately large number of spelling variations. These spelling variations began almost as soon as surname usage became common. People could not specify how to spell their own names leaving the specific recording up to the individual scribe or priest. Those recorders would then spell the names as they heard them, causing many different variations. Later, many Welsh names were recorded in English. This transliteration process was extremely imprecise since the Brythonic Celtic language of the Welsh used many sounds the English language was not accustomed to. Finally, some variations occurred by the individual's design: a branch loyalty within a family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The Merricks name over the years has been spelled Merrick, Merick, Meyrick, Meynik and others. Early Notables of the Merricks familyProminent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Llewelyn ap Meyrick who fought at the Bbattle of Bosworth on August 22, 1485 for Henry Tudor; and his son, Meurig ap Llewelyn, who became captain of the bodyguard for Henry VIII, he was granted the Crown Lease of Aberffraw manor; Rowland Meyrick (1505-1566), born at Bodargan in the parish of Llangadwaladr, Anglesey, a Welsh bishop of Bangor; John Meyrick (or Merick, Mericke, or Merrick), M.A. (1538-1599), an Anglican clergyman who served in the Church of England...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Merricks Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Merricks family to Ireland
Some of the Merricks family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 36 words (3 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Merricks migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Merricks Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Mr. Merricks, British settler travelling from London via Cape ports aboard the ship "Pembroke Castle" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th November 1889 2
| Merricks migration to West Indies | + |
The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 3Merricks Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- John Merricks, who settled in Barbados in 1680
| Contemporary Notables of the name Merricks (post 1700) | + |
- Donald W. Merricks, American Republican politician, Elected Virginia State House of Delegates 16th District 2011 4
- Donald W. "Don" Merricks (b. 1952), American politician, Member of the Virginia House of Delegates (2008-2014)
- Trenton Merricks, American philosopher at the University of Virginia
- John Merricks (1971-1997), English silver medalist sailor at the 1996 Summer Olympics
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Merricks migration to New Zealand 
Merricks migration to West Indies 
Wales
Ireland
