| ![Show Contents]() Merrie History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The Norman Conquest of England in 1066 added many new elements to an already vibrant culture. Among these were thousands of new names. The Merrie family lived in Norfolk. Their name, however, is a reference to the family's place of residence prior to the Norman Conquest of England in 1066, Meret, Normandy. Early Origins of the Merrie familyThe surname Merrie was first found in Norfolk. However, some of the family were found at Stow-Maries in Essex. "This parish takes the adjunct to its name from the family of Marey, to whom the lands at one time belonged." 1 Early History of the Merrie familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Merrie research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1605, 1660 and 1682 are included under the topic Early Merrie History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Merrie Spelling VariationsNorman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Merry, Mirrey, Merrie, Mirrie and others. Early Notables of the Merrie familyAnother 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Merrie Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Merrie family to Ireland
Some of the Merrie family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 31 words (2 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Merrie migration to the United States | + |
Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Merrie or a variant listed above:
Merrie Settlers in United States in the 17th Century- Savage Merrie, who settled in Virginia in 1637
| Merrie 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: Merrie Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Mrs. Merrie, Scottish settler with 4 children travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Sevilla" arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand on 4th September 1864 2
| Merrie 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. 3Merrie Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century- John Merrie, who settled in St. Christopher (Saint Kitts) in 1633
| Contemporary Notables of the name Merrie (post 1700) | + |
- Merrie Spaeth (b. 1948), American actress who has also worked in media, government, politics, and business
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Merrie migration to the United States 
Merrie migration to New Zealand 
Merrie migration to West Indies 
England
Ireland
