| ![Show Contents]() Merpel History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England The name Merpel was brought to England by the Normans when they conquered the country in 1066. The ancestors of the Merpel family lived in Cheshire, at the manor of Marple which dates back to the 13th century when it was then known as Merpille and literally meant "pool or stream at the boundary," having derived from the Old English "maere" + "pyll." 1 Early Origins of the Merpel familyThe surname Merpel was first found in Cheshire where they held a family seat as Lords of the Manor of Marple, more anciently spelt Merpul. The first record of ownership of the estates was when Randle, Earl of Chester granted the manorial rights to Robert of Stockport. This is most likely the earliest scion of the Marple family name. He sold the estate to Sir George Vernon, known as 'The King of the Peak' Chief of one those rugged east Cheshire families who controlled the forests of Cheshire and Derbyshire. Marple Hall remains, and in the 19th century was the seat of the notable Isherwood family, having previously been the seat of the Bradshaws. Interestingly, one of the theories of the origin of Agatha Christie's fictional character Miss Marple was that it was taken the name from a family named Marple, who lived at Marple Hall near her sister Madge's home at Abney Hall. The first records of the Marble variant were found on the Isle of Man where Robert Marbull and Hugh Marble were listed in 1479 and 1531, respectively. 2 Early History of the Merpel familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Merpel research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1921 is included under the topic Early Merpel History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Merpel Spelling VariationsIt is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, Anglo-Norman surnames like Merpel are characterized by many spelling variations. Scribes and monks in the Middle Ages spelled names they sounded, so it is common to find several variations that refer to a single person. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages such as Norman French and Latin, even literate people regularly changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Merpel include Marple, Marples, Marble, Marbles, Merple, Merpel, Merpels, Merples, Merbles, Merble and many more. Early Notables of the Merpel familyMore information is included under the topic Early Merpel Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Merpel familyFaced with the chaos present in England at that time, many English families looked towards the open frontiers of the New World with its opportunities to escape oppression and starvation. People migrated to North America, as well as Australia and Ireland in droves, paying exorbitant rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, but those who did see the shores of North America were welcomed with great opportunity. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America carried the name Merpel, or a variant listed above: William Marble and his wife Elizabeth who settled in New England in 1652; Richard and his wife Elizabeth Marble settled in Pennsylvania in 1773; J.L. Marble settled in San Francisco Cal. in 1852.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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