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Marx History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Citations

Marx History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Israel
Ireland

The illustrious surname Marx finds its origin in the rocky, sea swept coastal area of southwestern England known as Cornwall. Although surnames were fairly widespread in medieval England, people were originally known only by a single name. The process by which hereditary surnames were adopted is extremely interesting. As populations grew, people began to assume an extra name to avoid confusion and to further identify themselves. Under the Feudal System of government, surnames evolved and they often reflected life on the manor and in the field. Lords and their tenants often became known by the name of the feudal territory they owned or lived on. Unlike most Celtic peoples, who favored patronymic names, the Cornish predominantly used local surnames. This was due to the heavy political and cultural influence of the English upon the Cornish People at the time that surnames first came into use. Local surnames were derived from where a person lived, held land, or was born. While many Cornish surnames of this sort appear to be topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees, many are actually habitation surnames derived from lost or unrecorded place names. The name Marx is a local type of surname and the Marx family lived on a boundary between two districts. Literally the name meant "dweller by the boundary" from the Old English word "mearc." 1

Early Origins of the Marx family

The surname Marx was first found in Essex where "Adelolfus de Merc held lands under Eustace Earl of Boulogne. His estate of Tollesbury was still held by by one of his descendants, Henry de Merk, in 1251. This name, variously given as Merkes, Markes, and Mark, was derived from Marc in Normandy. Geoffrey de Marco and his sons are mentioned by Ordericus Vitalis (591). It is still retained by many places in Essex. There is Le Marck, or Marks Hall, in the parish of Leyton, Mark’s Tay (held under the Mandevilles “from the earliest times”), the parish of Markes Hall, Merks in Dunmow (possessed since the days of the Conqueror), and others. The family was wealthy, numerous, and greatly sub-divided. Aitropus, or Eutropius, and Simon de Merc occur in the Rotuli Curiæ Regis of 1194-98: and the latter is also entered in the Monasticon as a benefactor of Thornton Abbey. He and his son Ingelram held Marks, in the parish of Great Dunmow, of the King in capite of his Honour of Bologne, and had certainly three, if not more, successors in the male line. " 2

Rogerus filius Markes was found in Hampshire according to the Curia Regis Rolls of 1207 as was Robertus Marcus in 1148 at Winton. Simon del Merc was in the Curia Regis Rolls for Essex in 1208. A few years later, Philip Marc was listed in the Pipe Rolls of Northumberland in 1209 and later, Robertus Markes was listed in Cheshire in 1288. 1

Early History of the Marx family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Marx research. Another 254 words (18 lines of text) covering the years 1148, 1194, 1210, 1216, 1226, 1291, 1296, 1459, 1613 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Marx History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marx Spelling Variations

Cornish surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The official court languages, which were Latin and French, were also influential on the spelling of a surname. Since the spelling of surnames was rarely consistent in medieval times, and 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 of their surname in the ancient chronicles. Moreover, a large number of foreign names were brought into England, which accelerated and accentuated the alterations to the spelling of various surnames. Lastly, spelling variations often resulted from the linguistic differences between the people of Cornwall and the rest of England. The Cornish spoke a unique Brythonic Celtic language which was first recorded in written documents during the 10th century. However, they became increasingly Anglicized, and Cornish became extinct as a spoken language in 1777, although it has been revived by Cornish patriots in the modern era. The name has been spelled Mark, Marks, Markes, Marke and others.

Early Notables of the Marx family

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

Marx World Ranking

In the United States, the name Marx is the 2,916^th most popular surname with an estimated 9,948 people with that name. 3 However, in France, the name Marx is ranked the 1,654^th most popular surname with an estimated 3,639 people with that name. 4 And in South Africa, the name Marx is the 676^th popular surname with an estimated 10,054 people with that name. 5

Migration of the Marx family to Ireland

Some of the Marx family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 78 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Marx migration to the United States +

An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Marx:

Marx Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Matthew Marx, who immigrated to America in 1709
Wilhelm Marx, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1740 6
Joh Mich Marx, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1741 6
Joh Geo Marx, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 6
Johann Georg Marx, who landed in Philadelphia in 1750
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marx Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Peter Marx, who arrived in America in 1834 6
Charlotte Marx, aged 29, who arrived in America in 1839 6
Maria Marx, who landed in Texas in 1840-1850 6
Mrs. Margarete Marx, (nee Britting, Merz), aged 36, who immigrated to Texas in 1844 aboard the ship "Herschel", she died in 1846
Jakob Marx, who arrived in America in 1844 6
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Marx Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henry Marx, who landed in Arkansas in 1906 6
Abe Marx, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Marx (post 1700) +

Julius Henry "Groucho" Marx (1890-1977), legendary American comedian and film star, one of the Marx Brothers
Sue Marx (1930-2023), American Academy Award winning documentary film director and producer
Leo Marx (1919-2022), American historian, literary critic and educator, Professor of the History and Philosophy of Science Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Arthur Adolph "Harpo" Marx (1888-1964), American comedian and film star, one of the Marx Brothers
Leonard "Chico" Marx (1887-1961), American comedian and film star, one of the Marx Brothers
Herbert Manfred "Zeppo" Marx (1901-1979), American film star, theatrical agent and businessman, one of the Marx Brothers
Robert F. Marx (1936-2019), American pioneer in scuba diving and was best known for his work with shipwrecks and sunken treasure
Miriam Marx (1927-2017), American author, daughter of Groucho Marx
Alexander Marx (1878-1953), American historian, bibliographer and librarian
Brett Marx (b. 1964), American movie and television actor
... (Another 41 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Marx family +

Bismarck

Heinz Marx (1921-1941), German Mechanikersgefreiter (A) who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 7

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
http://www.journaldesfemmes.com/nom-de-famille/nom/
"Most Common Last Names in South Africa." Forebears, https://forebears.io/south-africa/surnames
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)
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details