Contents [hide]

Melville History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Melville History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

The land of moorland bogs and fields of heather is the ancient homeland to the distinguished surname Melville. In Scotland, hereditary surnames were adopted according to fairly general rules and during the late Middle Ages, names that were derived from specific localities became increasingly widespread. Local names originally denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. The Melville family originally lived in the village of Melville, in the county of Midlothian (now part of the region of Lothian).

Early Origins of the Melville family

The surname Melville was first found in Midlothian. The Melville family resided in this county as early as the mid-12th century, when King Malcolm IV of Scotland granted them the lands of Melville in 1160.

They are said to have arrived in Scotland from Malleville in Pays de Caux, Normandy, where they held the distinguished title of the Lords of Graville.

Another source is more specific: "The great Northern House of Melville claims this Norman as the patriarch of their race. Galfrid de Maleville, the earliest of the family who appears in Scottish history, had the honour of being the first Justiciary (Judiciary) of Scotland on record. From him derived the Earls of Melville. " 1

The parish of Lasswade in the county of Edinburgh was and ancient home of the family. "The principal seat is Melville Castle, the residence of Lord Viscount Melville, an elegant and spacious structure in the castellated style, with circular towers, erected about the close of the last century, on the site of an ancient house said to have belonged to David Rizzio, secretary to Mary, Queen of Scots." 2

Early History of the Melville family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Melville research. Another 176 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1296, 1535, 1545, 1547, 1597, 1617, 1621, 1622, 1636, 1683, 1695, 1707, 1741, 1742, 1753, 1754, 1890 and 1924 are included under the topic Early Melville History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Melville Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Melville, Melwell, Melwill, Malwyn, Melwyn, Melvile and many more.

Early Notables of the Melville family

Notable among the family at this time was

Sir James Melville (1535-1617), Scottish diplomatist and memoir writer, was the third son of Sir John Melville, laird of Raith in the county of Fife
Andrew Melville (1545-1622), Scottish scholar, theologian and religious reformer
Alexander Melville (also Alexander Leslie), 5th Earl of Leven (1695-1754), Scottish peer, Lord High Commissioner (1741-1753), Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Scotland (1741-1742)

Melville Ranking

In the United States, the name Melville is the 9,002^nd most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3 However, in New Zealand, the name Melville is ranked the 844^th most popular surname with an estimated 864 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Melville family to Ireland

Some of the Melville family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 67 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Melville migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Melville Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

David Melville, who landed in America in 1697 5

Melville Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

James Melville, who landed in America in 1804 5
Luke Melville, who landed in America in 1804 5
Thomas Melville, who landed in America in 1804 5
Philip Melville, aged 11, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1808 5
Mary Melville, who landed in Massachusetts in 1812 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Melville migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Melville Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Mr. David Melville U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 he became a Freeman in 1786 he was an Inn Keeper 6
Mr. Thomas Melville U.E. who settled in Saint John, New Brunswick c. 1784 6

Melville Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss. Ann Melville, aged 3 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "Lady Milton" departing 5th May 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 26th June 1847 but she died on board 7
Miss. Bridget Melville, aged 7 who was emigrating through Grosse Isle Quarantine Station, Quebec aboard the ship "George" departing 13th April 1847 from Liverpool, England; the ship arrived on 12th June 1847 but she died on board 7

Melville migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Melville Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. William Melville, Scottish convict who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 14 years , transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Ninian Melville, (b. 1811), aged 22, Scottish cabinet maker who was convicted in Perth, Scotland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1882 9
Henry Melville, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1851 10
Eliza Melville, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Asia" in 1851 10
John Melville, aged 27, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1852 aboard the ship "Medina" 11
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Melville migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Melville Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

J.R. Melville, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Ashley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th October 1858 12
A. Melville, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Ashley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th October 1858 12
Mr. Melville, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Lord Ashley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th October 1858 12
Mrs. Melville, British settler travelling from London with 4 children aboard the ship "Lord Ashley" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 14th October 1858 12
C. Melville, British settler travelling from London aboard the ship "Palmyra" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 19th February 1858 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Melville (post 1700) +

Josephine Melville (1961-2022), British actress, director and writer, known for Assistance (2021), American Playhouse (1980) and Slammer
Scott Melville (b. 1966), American former professional tennis player who achieved a career-high doubles ranking of World No. 17 in 1996
Ward Melville (1887-1977), American philanthropist who donated 400 acres of land and money to establish the State University of New York at Stony Brook in 1957
George W. Melville (1841-1912), United States admiral, Arctic exploration and author
Herman Melville (1819-1891), American novelist, short story writer and poet who is perhaps best known for "Moby Dick" or "The Whale"
George Whyte- Melville (1821-1878), Scottish novelist
Arthur Melville (1858-1904), Scottish painter, best remembered for his Orientalist subjects
Andrew Melville, Scottish Presbyterian religious reformer
Mr. Christopher Robert Melville O.B.E., M.B.E., British Wing Commander for the Royal Air Force, was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 14
Sir James Benjamin Melville KC (1885-1931), British politician, Solicitor General for England and Wales (1929-1930)
... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Melville family +

HMS Hood

Mr. John Melville (b. 1918), Scottish Stoker 2nd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire, Scotland, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 15

Ibrox disaster

Thomas Melville (1954-1971), Scottish football supporter, from Glasgow who was at the Ibrox disaster on 2nd January 1971 when a human crush among the crowd killed 66 and injured 200 people he died of his injuries 16

The Melville Motto +

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: Denique coelum
Motto Translation: I shall enjoy heaven at last.

Citations +

Burke, John Bernard, The Roll of Battle Abbey. London: Edward Churton, 26, Holles Street, 1848, Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 89)
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
State Library of South Australia. (Retrieved 2016, October 27) ASIA 1851 from London 12 05 1851 and southampton with Captain Roskell, arrived Port Adelaide on 1-09-1851. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1851Asia.htm
South Australian Register Tuesday 3 February 1852. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) MEDINA 1852. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/medina1852.shtml
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
"Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
Bradford City Football Club In memory (retrieved 22nd March 2021). Retrieved from https://www.bradfordcityafc.com/club/in-memoriam/