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ArchivesRe: Merald .. origin and meaning?
in reply to a message by jmcabanis
I think the most likely explanation is that this is a variation of Merrill influenced by the sound of names like Gerald, Harold, etc.
In U.S. census records, the name occurs extremely rarely before 1900.
In 1850, there are three females and three males listed as Merald in the index. Of the three males, one of them seems clearly to be a misreading of the census taker's handwriting.
In 1860, there is only one male listed in the index as Merald. He was born in Germany and the census taker's handwriting is hard to decipher. There are three female Meralds in the index that year.
In 1870, there are four females and two males listed as Merald. Of the two males, one is a mistaken reading of "Miron." The other is an African-American ten-year-old in Mississippi.
In 1880, there are only two Meralds, but both are male. One is hard to trace; ironically, the other, Merald McCoy, then six years old and living in North Carolina, had his name clearly written as "Merril" by the 1880 census taker, and only turns up as Merald in the index because he is also clearly the same man who was later drafted during World War I as "Merald" and who turns up as Merald L. McCoy living in Skagit County, Washington in the 1910 census.
Merald is the sort of name variation that may not even be a conscious attempt to blend Merrill with Gerald, but may simply arise from mishearing or misremembering. I am sure that the word and name Emerald may also have been part of the reason for this. But it doesn't seem to be a name that goes back in history in a way that would make an original Germanic or Welsh origin likely. I really just think a spontaneously occuring variation of Merrill is the best explanation.
In U.S. census records, the name occurs extremely rarely before 1900.
In 1850, there are three females and three males listed as Merald in the index. Of the three males, one of them seems clearly to be a misreading of the census taker's handwriting.
In 1860, there is only one male listed in the index as Merald. He was born in Germany and the census taker's handwriting is hard to decipher. There are three female Meralds in the index that year.
In 1870, there are four females and two males listed as Merald. Of the two males, one is a mistaken reading of "Miron." The other is an African-American ten-year-old in Mississippi.
In 1880, there are only two Meralds, but both are male. One is hard to trace; ironically, the other, Merald McCoy, then six years old and living in North Carolina, had his name clearly written as "Merril" by the 1880 census taker, and only turns up as Merald in the index because he is also clearly the same man who was later drafted during World War I as "Merald" and who turns up as Merald L. McCoy living in Skagit County, Washington in the 1910 census.
Merald is the sort of name variation that may not even be a conscious attempt to blend Merrill with Gerald, but may simply arise from mishearing or misremembering. I am sure that the word and name Emerald may also have been part of the reason for this. But it doesn't seem to be a name that goes back in history in a way that would make an original Germanic or Welsh origin likely. I really just think a spontaneously occuring variation of Merrill is the best explanation.
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