| ![Show Contents]() Mervine History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The name of Mervine is Celtic in origin, arising from the ancient Britons of Wales. The name's specific origins were derived from the Welsh personal name Mervin, which originally took the form Merlin. The magician Merlin plays an important role in Arthurian legend and is given the attributes of a Celtic druid. He figures prominently in early Welsh writings, and the first full-fledged treatment of him is given in the Libellus Merlini (Little Book of Merlin), a Latin tract written by Geoffrey of Monmouth c. 1135. Early Origins of the Mervine familyThe surname Mervine was first found in Wiltshire, where this distinguished Welsh family claim descent from Mervyn Vrych, (Merfyn Frych 'Merfyn the Freckled', Merfyn ap Gwriad 'Merfyn son of Gwriad', Merfyn Camwri 'Merfyn the Oppressor') an 11th century Lord of Anglesey, who settled in Wiltshire on the English Welsh border. He is thought to have died around 844 and was King of Gwynedd from around 825 to his death. He came from a long line of nobility. Llywelyn ap Merfyn (died 942) was King of Powys, son of Merfyn ap Rhodri, and grandson of Rhodri the Great. His father, Merfyn ap Rhodri (died c.900) was also King of Powis (878-900.) Mystery surrounds his death. Some believe he died due to the incursion into Anglesey by the Viking Ingimundr. Others believe he lost his realm to an invasion by his brother Cadell, King of Ceredigion. All trace back to Rhodri ap Merfyn (c. 820-878), later known as Rhodri the Great (Welsh: Rhodri Mawr), who succeeded his father, Merfyn Frych, as King of Gwynedd in 844. He is referred to "King of the Britons" by the Annals of Ulster and later as the "King of Wales." Early History of the Mervine familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mervine research. Another 39 words (3 lines of text) covering the years 1603, 1661, 1666, 1675 and 1799 are included under the topic Early Mervine History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Mervine Spelling VariationsThe Welsh have an extremely large amount of spelling variations of their native surnames to their credit. It was up to the priest or the scribe taking the official records to determine how the spoken name was to be made literal. As time progressed, the old Brythonic names of Wales were recorded in English, which was especially problematic since the English language had extreme difficulty recording the highly inflected sounds of Cymraeg. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by spelling variations of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Mervine have included Mervyn, Mervin, Mervyng, Merwin and others. Early Notables of the Mervine familyAnother 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mervine Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the Mervine family to Ireland
Some of the Mervine family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
| Mervine migration to the United States | + |
North America in the 1800s and 1900s saw the arrival of many Welsh people hoping to share in the wealth of land, work, and freedom that they felt North America held. Those who made the journey often attained those expectations, but only through an enormous amount of hard work, perseverance, and often a bout of good luck. These immigrants helped contribute to the growth of industry, commerce, and culture of both Canada and the United States. Discovered in the immigration and passenger lists were a number of people bearing the name Mervine:
Mervine Settlers in United States in the 18th Century- Andrew Mervine, whose Oath of Allegiance was recorded in Pennsylvania in 1779
Mervine Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Nicholas P. Mervine, aged 37, originally from Nassau, who arrived in New York in 1896 aboard the ship "Santiago" from Nassau 1
Mervine Settlers in United States in the 20th Century- May Mervine, aged 44, who arrived in New York in 1908 aboard the ship "Morro Castle" from Nassau, Bahamas 1
- Wilson Mervine, aged 27, who arrived in New York in 1913 aboard the ship "Denis" from Manaos, Para, Barbados 1
- Mary Lula Mervine, aged 38, who arrived in New York in 1914 aboard the ship "Finland" from Liverpool, England 1
| Contemporary Notables of the name Mervine (post 1700) | + |
- William Mervine (1791-1868), American Rear Admiral in the United States Navy, eponym of the USS Mervine (DD-322), a Clemson class destroyer and the USS Mervine (DD-489), a Gleaves class destroyer
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: De Dieu tout
Motto Translation: From God everything.
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Mervine migration to the United States 
Wales
Ireland
