Merchel meaning | Last name Merchel origin

The variation of Marshall. One who cared for horses, especially one who treated their diseases; a shoeinh smith; later, an official in a king's or high noble's household having charge of military affairs.

Lastname is a variation of Marshall. One who cared for horses, especially one who treated their diseases; a shoeinh smith; later, an official in a king's or high noble's household having charge of military affairs.

The surname Merchel is the variant of Marshall. This word has doubled its meaning in a very singular fashion. Historian Cotgrave says—"a marshall of a kingdome or of a campe (an honourable place); also a black-smith; also a farrier, horse-leech, or horse-smith; also a harbinger." Richardson gives the etymon, French mares-chal; Dutch, maer, a horse, and schalck, a servant, liter a servant who takes care of horses," By degrees the word acquired a more dignified meaning, and was applied to the "magister equorum" or master of the cavalry, and other offices of state, some of which were not connected with horses, but with the management of great public affairs. Hence, under the ancien régime, the Great Marshals of France, governors of provinces, etc., as well as the Earl-Marshal of England, the Lord Marischal of Scotland, etc. Hence the verb to 'marshal' is to arrange, either soldiers on a battle-field, or armorial coats in the field of heraldry, besides other meanings. The surname though sometimes derived from the superior occupation or "honourable place," (as in the case of the old Earls of Pembroke, in whom the office of Mareschal or commander-in-chief vested hereditarily) is far too common to admit a doubt that it generally implies nothing more than farrier or shoeing-smith, in which sense it is still used in France. It appears that in 1817-8 this surname stood sixtieth in the order of commonness in our family nomenclature.