Show ContentsMellon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Mellon family

The surname Mellon was first found in Ile-de-France, at Mellun, a commune in the Seine-et-Marne department. One of the first records of the name was Robert of Melun (c. 1100-1167), an English-born, scholastic Christian theologian who taught in Mellun, France. Little is known of him other than he studied under Peter Abelard and Hugh of St. Victor at the University of Paris and by 1137, he was a teacher in the school on Mont Ste-Genevieve. He was later involved in the Council of Reims in 1148. After teaching in Paris for 40 years, he was recalled to England by King Henry II in 1160, and was appointed Bishop of Hereford in 1163.

"Savaric de Malleon was Constable of Porchester Castle in 1216, and Seneschal of Poitou and Gascony in 1222. He held Petersfield and MapleDurham (part of the Honour of Gloucester) by grant of King John. It was this Savaric who in 1216 was left by the King in charge of the city and castle of Winchester, just after Pentecost, the holy time chosen by the Bishop of Winchester, who wits with the King, for excommunicating Lewis and all his favourers. Upon the departure of the King, Savaric set fire to the suburbs of Winchester. Then followed the siege of the castle, which at last by the counsel of Savaric was given up to Lewis upon which followed the surrender of all the Hampshire castles. In 1229, after the death of Waleran Teutonicus, he became Warden of the Isle of Wight. was, says Worsley, " a Poictevin, and had been very serviceable to the King during the war with France ; but afterwards, on some discontent, changing sides, became extremely troublesome." 1

Early History of the Mellon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mellon research. Another 185 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1302, 1465, 1598, 1634, 1688 and 1721 are included under the topic Early Mellon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mellon Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Melun, Mellun, Mellon, Melon, Meluns, Melluns, Melune, Melunes, Mellune and many more.

Early Notables of the Mellon family

More information is included under the topic Early Mellon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mellon Ranking

In the United States, the name Mellon is the 6,166th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 2


United States Mellon migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mellon Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Nich Mellon, who landed in Virginia in 1653 3
Mellon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Joseph Mellon, who arrived in Mobile, Ala in 1764 3
Mellon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Sarah Mellon, aged 20, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1834 3
  • John Mellon, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1846 3
  • C Mellon, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1851 3
  • Mr. James Mellon, Infant, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • Mrs. Alice Mellon, aged 59, British settler who arrived in New York aboard the ship "Cynosure" in 1863
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Mellon Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Ann Mellon, aged 21, who immigrated to the United States from Tyrone, in 1904
  • Alma Mellon, aged 6, who landed in America from Liverpool, England, in 1908
  • Ailsa Mellon, aged 6, who landed in America, in 1908
  • Anna Mellon, aged 4, who settled in America from Bellshill, Scotland, in 1909
  • Bernard Mellon, aged 4, who landed in America from Dundee, Scotland, in 1910
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Mellon migration to Australia +

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

Mellon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Garratt Mellon, (b. 1778), aged 50, Irish ploughman who was convicted in Longford, Ireland for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Fergusson" on 16th November 1828, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1848 4
  • Bridget Mellon, aged 18, a servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1858 aboard the ship "Stamboul"

New Zealand Mellon 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:

Mellon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Mr. William Mellon, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 5
  • Mrs. Mary Mellon, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Mellon (post 1700) +

  • Andrew W. Mellon (1855-1937), American banker, one of the longest serving U.S. Treasury Secretaries in history (1921 to 1932)
  • Thomas Mellon (1813-1908), Irish-born, American entrepreneur, lawyer, judge, founder of Mellon Bank, and patriarch of the Mellon family
  • Matthew Taylor Mellon II (1964-2018), American businessman, Chairman of the New York Republican State Committee’s finance committee
  • William Larimer "W.L." Mellon Sr. (1868-1949), American businessman and politician, founder of Gulf Oil in 1901, Chairman of the Republican State Committee of Pennsylvania (1926-1928)
  • Rachel "Bunny" Lowe Lambert Lloyd Mellon (1910-2014), American horticulturalist, gardener, philanthropist, and art collector, second wife of philanthropist and horse breeder Paul Mellon
  • William Larimer "Larry" Mellon Jr. (1910-1989), American philanthropist
  • William Larimer Mellon Sr. (1868-1949), American entrepreneur, founder of Gulf Oil
  • Timothy Mellon, American entrepreneur, founder of Guilford Transportation Industries
  • Richard King Mellon (1899-1970), American financier
  • Richard B. Mellon (1858-1933), American banker, industrialist and philanthropist
  • ... (Another 7 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The Mellon 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: Virtus et honor
Motto Translation: Virtue and honor.


  1. Cleveland, Dutchess of The Battle Abbey Roll with some Account of the Norman Lineages. London: John Murray, Abermarle Street, 1889. Print. Volume 2 of 3
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)
  4. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th October 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fergusson
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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