Explore the Family Name Merrick
The meaning of Merrick
1. Welsh: from the personal name Meuric, the Middle Welsh form of Maurice (see Morris). 2. Irish: borrowed from Welsh. In Ireland, when this is not the Welsh name, it might be adopted for Irish Ó Mearadhaigh, see Merry 2.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Merrick in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Merrick has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, Merrick ranked 3,910 in popularity and by 2010, it had dropped slightly to a ranking of 4,111, reflecting a change of -5.14%. Despite this minor decline in ranking, the actual count of individuals with the Merrick surname increased by 3.22%, from 8,360 in 2000 to 8,629 in 2010. There was also a small drop in the proportion of Merricks per 100,000 people, going from 3.1 in 2000 to 2.93 in 2010, a change of -5.48%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,910 | #4,111 | -5.14% |
| Count | 8,360 | 8,629 | 3.22% |
| Proportion per 100k | 3.1 | 2.93 | -5.48% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Merrick
As for the ethnic identity associated with the surname Merrick, as reported by the Decennial U.S. Census, the most prevalent ethnicity is White, accounting for 81.97% of Merricks in 2010, down slightly from 84.25% in 2000. This is followed by Black at 11.06%, up marginally from 10.84% in 2000. The biggest changes were seen within the Asian/Pacific Islander and Hispanic groups, which saw increases of 91.67% and 69.46% respectively, although they still represent smaller portions of the overall Merrick population. The proportion of Merricks identifying with two or more races also rose from 1.38% in 2000 to 1.90% in 2010, while the American Indian and Alaskan Native group saw a minor decrease from 1.39% to 1.33%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 84.25% | 81.97% | -2.71% |
| Black | 10.84% | 11.06% | 2.03% |
| Hispanic | 1.67% | 2.83% | 69.46% |
| Two or More Races | 1.38% | 1.9% | 37.68% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.39% | 1.33% | -4.32% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.48% | 0.92% | 91.67% |
Merrick ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Merrick is British & Irish, which comprises 52.4% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (24.0%) and Eastern European (4.6%). Additional ancestries include Scandinavian, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Nigerian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 52.4% |
| French & German | 24.0% |
| Eastern European | 4.6% |
| Other | 19.1% |
Possible origins of the surname Merrick
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Merrick have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 85.00% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 84.60% |
What Merrick haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Merrick is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-L21, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Barrow, Colvin, Davies, Humphries, Griffith, Lloyd, Oliver, Rees, Karr, Logan.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Merrick surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Merrick have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Merrick" Surname 46.2%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Merrick" Surname 21.1%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Merrick" Surname 19.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Merrick" Surname 14.9%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Merrick?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Merrick are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition