Merker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Germany
Scotland

The root of the ancient Dalriadan-Scottish name Merker is the personal name Murchadh, which means sea warrior.The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Mhurchaidh, meaning son of Murchadh. 1

Two other sources claim the name is from Merchiston (Merchistoun), a place name in Edinburghshire. 2 3

Early Origins of the Merker family

The surname Merker was first found in Inverness, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. They are believed to be descended from Murdoch, a natural son of Angus Mor of Islay of the Clan Donald. In the 12th and 13th centuries the name assumed the Gaelic MacMurchie but with the growing economic need to blend into the mainland the name became anglicized to Murchison.

One of the first records of the family was Fowill Morthoison, who was Burgess of Inverness in 1452. Later, John Murchosone was witness in Peebles in 1473 and Findlay Murquhasson and Neill Murquhason or Murquhessoun were tenants in Tiree in 1541. 1

Early History of the Merker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Merker research. Another 125 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1452, 1541, 1566, 1574, 1582, 1685, 1726, 1792, 1830, 1855, 1871 and 1879 are included under the topic Early Merker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Merker Spelling Variations

Historical recordings of the name Merker include many spelling variations. They include They are the result of repeated translations of the name from Gaelic to English and inconsistencies in spelling rules. Murchison, Murcheson, Murchieson, Murquhouson, Murquhosoun, Murckison and many more.

Early Notables of the Merker family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Sir Roderick Impey Murchison, 1st Baronet, KCB, DCL, FRS, HonFRSE, FLS, MRIA (1792-1871), a Scottish geologist who served as director-general of the British Geological Survey from 1855 until his death in 1871. He is noted for investigating and describing the Silurian, Devonian and...
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Merker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Merker migration to the United States +

Descendents of Dalriadan-Scottish families still populate many communities across North America. They are particularly common in Canada, since many went north as United Empire Loyalists at the time of the American War of Independence. Much later, in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the highland games and Clan societies that now dot North America sprang up, allowing many Scots to recover their lost national heritage. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Merker, or a variant listed above:

Merker Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johannes Merker, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1738 4
Hans Georg Merker, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1751 4
George Merker, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1765 4

Merker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Leonard Merker, who arrived in St Clair County, Illinois in 1848 4
Philip Merker, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1855 4
Johann Jakob Merker, who arrived in America in 1867 4
Ben Merker, aged 75, who immigrated to America, in 1894
Adolf Merker, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1896
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Merker Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

August Merker, aged 17, who landed in America from Morgentpohl, Russia, in 1905
Carl Merker, aged 69, who immigrated to the United States from Attesniken, Russia, in 1910
Ewald Merker, aged 54, who landed in America from Chemnitz, Germany, in 1911
Egon Merker, aged 3, who settled in America from Lehe, Germany, in 1915
Diamand Merker, aged 42, who landed in America from Prezemislawy, Poland, in 1920
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Merker (post 1700) +

Michelle Merker, American producer, writer and actress, known for Variety Studio: Actors on Actors (2014), Take Me Home Huey (2017) and Hollywood's Architect: The Paul R. Williams Story (2020)
Kathryn Ethel Merker (1923-2012), American freelance and orchestral horn player in Chicago, who collaborated with the Frank Holton Company on the design and development of the Merker-Matic line of horns
Andreas Merker (b. 1979), German actor, known for Wilsberg (1995), Dogs of Berlin (2018) and Der Bulle und das Biest (2019)
Thomas Merker (b. 1958), German cinematographer and director, known for At Night (1987), Die Cadillac Ranch Geschichte (1985) and Out of Time (1982)
Paul Merker (1894-1969), German activist member of Germany's Communist Party (KPD / Kommunistische Partei Deutschlands)
Hans-Joachim Merker (1929-2014), German physician and anatomist, Professor of Anatomy at the Free University of Berlin from 1972 to 1998, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine from 1980 to 1981
Björn Merker (b. 1943), Swedish neuroscientist
Ludwig Merker (1894-1964), German Generalleutnant in the Wehrmacht during World War II, recipient of the Knight's Cross of the Iron Cross

The Merker Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Impavido pectore
Motto Translation: With undaunted heart.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. 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)