Mer meaning | Last name Mer origin

Variant of Maw. The name Mac Coghlan is in Ireland beautified and abbreviated into Maw; the Mac Coghlan or head of the family was called the Maw; and a district of King's County was known, with in the memory of persons now living, by the appellation of the Maw's County.

Is the form of Mars. 1. See under Morris for the possible origin of this name - This common surname, which is, and has been, variously written Morriss, Morres, Morice, Morrice, Maurice, Morys, Moris, Morrish, Morse; which gives rise to the patronymical forms Morrison, Morrisson, Morson; and which is found associated with various prefixes, such as Fitz, Clan, Mount, De, etc., may be traced to various sources. "Of the English families of that name," observes Burke, "there are two classes, those of native, and those of foreign, extraction. The latter came over with Conqueror. Of the former, the most ancient are derived from Wales. One section of the foreign class had a Moorish origin, as indeed the name expresses, and crossed over from Africa to Europe by way of Spain, whence were introduced into England, and other European countries, the Morrice dancers, who were accustomed to perform various feats of dancing. From the same source is derived the name of Montmorency corrupted from De Monte Morisco, "of or from the Moorish Mountains," and thence abbreviated into Moris. [The Le Moreys of Hundred Rolls somewhat favours a Moorish in origin.]

"With respect to the second class of foreign origin, their name is stated to be a corruption from Mars or Mavors, the god of War. This, as well as the preceding derivation, may appertain to many continental families, but it is in Wales that it most indubitably applies to the indigenous families who bear the name of Morris, of which the following derivation is given by a very eminent genealogist; "Mars, Mavors, Tallicé, 'Mawr-rwyce,' and Anglicé, 'Warlike, powerful,' is a title applied to such of the ancient chieftains as were pre-eminent for valour, whose numerous descendants account for the present frequency of the name in Wales. To this, one of the mottoes borne by the family of Morris seems to have reference: Marte et mari farentibus." Burke's Commoners

The personal name Maurice is still retained as a surname, and it may in numerous instances be the origin of Morris and similar family designations. The Roman church honours St. Maurice on the 21st of September.

It is possible also that in some cases our English Morris may be a corruption of the French Du Marais, Dumaresq., latinized De Marisco, and meaning, "of the marsh."

There is, however, a place so called near Domfront in Normandy, from which the family may have originated, 2. The god of war. 3. The French for the month of March.

The variant of Marr. A district of Aberdeenshire, which had its Earls as far back as the XI century, and still gives the same title to the Erskines, although they have no possessions there. Also a parish in Yorkshire.

Mer is variant form of Mare. Scot. Great.

The Mer is the form of Mars. One who came from the parish of Mar, a tribal name, in Aberdeenshire, or from Marr meaning "marh," situated in Yorkshire; dweller at, or near, a marsh.

Surname Mer is a variant form of Maas. Dweller at, or near, the Meuse River in western Europe; one who made chain mail used as defensive armor.