Merry Family History

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Merry Name Meaning

English: nickname for someone with a blithe or happy disposition, from Middle English merry ‘lively’, ‘cheerful’ (Old English myr(i)ge ‘pleasant’, ‘agreeable’). Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Mearadhaigh, Ó Meardha ‘descendant of Mearadhach’, ‘descendant of Meardha’, personal names derived from an adjective meaning ‘lively’, ‘wild’, ‘wanton’. French: from a vernacular form of the personal name Médéric, derived from a Germanic personal name conposed of mecht ‘strength’, ‘might’ + ric ‘power’; ‘ruler’. French: habitational name from Merry in Yonne or Merri in Orne, derived from the Latin personal name Matrius + the suffix -acum.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names ©2013, Oxford University Press


Similar surnames: Berry, Terry, Ferry, Mercy, Derry, Mery, Perry, Werry, Cerny, Jerry

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Merry Ethnicity Estimate

What are the common regions with the Merry name?

These results combine data from everyone in the AncestryDNA® database with the last name Merry. The Ancestry® ethnicity regions shown are top five most common on average for these people.

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  • England & Wales

    54%

  • Ireland & Scotland

    21%

  • Germanic Europe

    7%

  • Norway

    4%

  • France

    3%

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Merry Family Origin

Where is the Merry family from?

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1840
    1920
    You can see how Merry families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Merry family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Merry families were found in the UK in 1891. In 1840 there were 30 Merry families living in New York. This was about 26% of all the recorded Merry's in the USA. New York had the highest population of Merry families in 1840.
    Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Merry surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

    View Census Data for Merry

    Merry Family Occupations

    What did your Merry ancestors do for a living?

    In 1880, Farmer, Laborer and Keeping House were the top 3 reported jobs worked by Merry. The most common Merry occupation in the USA was Farmer. 35% of Merry's were Farmers. A less common occupation for the Merry family was Carpenter.

    View Census data for Merry | Data not to scale

    • Farmer

      35%

    • Laborer

      6%

    • Keeping House

      5%

    • Carpenter

      4%

    Census records can tell you a lot of little known facts about your Merry ancestors, such as occupation. Occupation can tell you about your ancestor's social and economic status.

    Merry Historical Records

    What Merry family records will you find?

    Census Record

    There are 75,000 census records available for the last name Merry. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Merrycensus records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

    Search 1940's US census records for Merry

    Passenger List

    There are 8,000 immigration records available for the last name Merry. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

    View all Merry immigration records

    Draft Card

    There are 7,000 military records available for the last name Merry. For the veterans among your Merry ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

    View all Merry military records

    You've only scratched the surface of Merry family history.

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    Merry Life Expectancy

    What is the average Merry lifespan?

    Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Merry life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 2000. The average life expectancy for Merry in 1941 was 40, and 78 in 2004.

    View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Merry

    An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Merry ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

    Famous Merry Family Ancestors

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