Show ContentsMarbles History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of Marbles

What does the name Marbles mean?

Marbles is a name that was brought to England by the ancestors of the Marbles family when they migrated to the region after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The Marbles 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 Marbles family

The surname Marbles 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 Marbles family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marbles research. Another 50 words (4 lines of text) covering the year 1921 is included under the topic Early Marbles History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marbles Spelling Variations

Spelling variations in names were a common occurrence in the eras before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate regularly changed the spellings of their names as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Marbles have been found, including Marple, Marples, Marble, Marbles, Merple, Merpel, Merpels, Merples, Merbles, Merble and many more.

Early Notables of the Marbles family

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

Migration of the Marbles family

For many English families, the social climate in England was oppressive and lacked opportunity for change. For such families, the shores of Ireland, Australia, and the New World beckoned. They left their homeland at great expense in ships that were overcrowded and full of disease. Many arrived after the long voyage sick, starving, and without a penny. But even those were greeted with greater opportunity than they could have experienced back home. Numerous English settlers who arrived in the United States and Canada at this time went on to make important contributions to the developing cultures of those countries. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Marbles were among those contributors: 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.


Contemporary Notables of the name Marbles (post 1700) +

  • Jenna Marbles (b. 1986), stage name of Jenna Nicole Mourey, an American former YouTuber, her YouTube channel has accumulated approximately 1.7 billion video views and over 20 million subscribers


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. 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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