Merradork Surname, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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The Merradork surname comes from the Welsh personal name Meredydd or Maredudd. The Old Welsh form of the name is Morgetiud; experts state that the first portion of this name may mean pomp or splendor, while the second portion is "udd," which means "lord."

Merradork Early Origins

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The surname Merradork was first found in Denbighshire (Welsh: Sir Ddinbych), a historic county, created in 1536 at the Act of Union with England, and located in Northeast Wales, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D.

Merradork Spelling Variations

There are relatively few surnames native to Wales, but they have an inordinately large number of spelling variations. Early variations of Welsh surnames can be explained by the fact that very few people in the early Middle Ages were literate. Priests and the few other literate people were responsible for recording names in official documents. And because most people could not specific how to properly record their names it was up to the individual recorder of that time to determine how a spoken name should be recorded. Variations due to the imprecise or improper recording of a name continued later in history when names originally composed in the Brythonic Celtic, language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, were transliterated into English. Welsh names that were documented in English often changed dramatically since the native language of Wales, which was highly inflected, did not copy well. Occasionally, however, spelling variations were carried out according to an individual's specific design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations could be indicated by minor variations. The spelling variations of the name Merradork have included Meredith, Meradith, Meredeth, Meridith and others.

Merradork Early History

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Merradork research. Another 211 words (15 lines of text) covering the years 1597, 1589, 1679, 1656, 1659, 1666, 1701, 1701, 1529, 1600, 1558 and 1559 are included under the topic Early Merradork History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Merradork Early Notables (pre 1700)

Prominent amongst the family during the late Middle Ages was Richard Meredith (sometimes Meredyth) (died 1597), Church of Ireland Bishop of Leighlin from 1589 until his death; Sir William Meredith, 1st Baronet of Leeds Abbey, Kent; Sir Richard Meredith, 2nd Baronet (died 1679), an English politician who sat in the...

Another 49 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Merradork Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Merradork In Ireland

Some of the Merradork family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. Another 51 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

The Great Migration

Many Welsh families joined their Scottish and Irish neighbors during the late 1800s and early 1900s in seeking refuge in North America. Like the Irish and Scottish, many Welsh anxiously awaited the work, freedom, and opportunities that they believed lay in North America. Those who did journey over to the United States and what became known as Canada often realized those dreams, but only through much toil and perseverance. Whenever and however these Welsh immigrants arrived in North America, they were instrumental in the creation of the industry, commerce, and cultural heritage within those two developing nations. In the immigration and passenger lists a number of early immigrants bearing the name Merradork were found: Elizabeth Meredith who settled in New England in 1654; Phillip Meredith who settled in Virginia in 1635; Robert Meredith who settled in Virginia in 1663.

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: Heb Dduw heb ddim, a Duw a digon
Motto Translation: Without God there is nothing.

Merradork Family Crest Products

Citations

Other References

Best, Hugh. Debrett's Texas Peerage. New York: Coward-McCann, 1983. Print. (ISBN 069811244X).
Evans, Gwynfor. Wales: A History: 2000 Years of Welsh History. New York: Barnes and Noble, 1996. Print. (ISBN 0-76070-120-2).
Library of Congress. American and English Genealogies in the Library of Congress. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. Print.
Crispin, M. Jackson and Leonce Mary. Falaise Roll Recording Prominent Companions of William Duke of Normandy at the Conquest of England. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Robb H. Amanda and Andrew Chesler. Encyclopedia of American Family Names. New York: Haper Collins, 1995. Print. (ISBN 0-06-270075-8).
Colletta, John P. They Came In Ships. Salt Lake City: Ancestry, 1993. Print.
Davies, R. R. The Age of Conquest: Wales, 1063-1415. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. Print.
Crozier, William Armstrong Edition. Crozier's General Armory A Registry of American Families Entitled to Coat Armor. New York: Fox, Duffield, 1904. Print.
Browning, Charles H. Americans of Royal Descent. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing. Print.
Filby, P. William and Mary K Meyer. Passenger and Immigration Lists Index in Four Volumes. Detroit: Gale Research, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8).
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The Merradork Family Crest was acquired from the Houseofnames.com archives. The Merradork Family Crest was drawn according to heraldic standards based on published blazons. We generally include the oldest published family crest once associated with each surname.

This page was last modified on 18 April 2016 at 11:52.