Show ContentsMarrey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Marrey is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Marrey 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 Marrey family

The surname Marrey 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 Marrey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marrey research. Another 74 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1605, 1660 and 1682 are included under the topic Early Marrey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marrey Spelling Variations

Norman 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 Marrey family

Another 34 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Marrey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Marrey family to Ireland

Some of the Marrey 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.

Migration of the Marrey family

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 Marrey or a variant listed above: Savage Merrie settled in Virginia in 1637; John Merrie settled in St. Christopher in 1633; John Merry later moved to Virginia in 1643; Thomas Merry settled in Virginia in 1654.



  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.


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