Origins of the MERRETT name

The Merrett Family History of William Merrett (1837-1901) and his wife Mary Ann Painter (1836-1916)

Earliest Known Instances of the Merrett Name.
(As copied from Lionel Merrett's book.) ©
MAEGEAT 1066
  As a result of my research I have reason to believe that the first Merretts to come to South Australia were Mr Chas Merrett and his wife Anne who arrived at Holdfast Bay on May 17th, 1839, on the sailing ship Planter. There is a photograph of Mr Chas Merrett in the district where I live.
  Few things kindle an Englishman's curiousity more strongly than the origin of his name or his family. While he would be fortunate to trace his ancestry as far back as the 16th century, yet he can go back with near certainty into pre-Conquest times for his surname - which today serves the purpose for which it was first devised: to distinguish him from any other Fred, Jack or Bill.
   This distinguishing process was already well advanced in 1066 when, on a historic October day, nearly half of Harold's army faced William the Conquerer, the invader who had a 'surname' as a 'second string to his bow'. The practise continued quite logically and spontaneously until, by the 14th century, an entire nation of four million Englishmen had aquired a surname, without a single Act of Parliament!
   The history of our family in Australia began on June 4th, 1857, at Port Adelaide, when they stepped foot on this Colony of South Australia (together with another 344 emigrants) from the sailing ship Tantivy of 1,040 tons.
  Before continuing with the history of the family, let us see where they came from in England and trace the very early history of the name MERRETT and its origin.
  It comes from the Old English word. MAEGEAT, meaning "farmer's gate". Possibly refers to a boundary gate.

Extracts, Quotes and other Information from various sources.
Extracts from the Dictionary of British Surnames, by Reaney:

Alric Filius MERIET, Aelric MERIETE, June 1066 (Domesday Book).
Ae Gelricus Filius MERGEATI, 1086.

Extract from Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, by Bardsley:

MERRITT, MERRETT - local inhabitant of Merriott, a parish in County Somerset. As MERRETT, it still lives in that shire.
(Refer to MERYETT for early instances.)
1753 - Married: Robert MERRITT and Jane Blackhouse, Saint George Chapel, Mayfair.
1808 - Silas MERRITT and Sarah Mansell, Saint George, Hanover Square, London 9,6, MDB (County Somerset) 01.

Early instances under MERRYETT:
John De MERIET, County Lincoln 1273.
Simon De MERIET, County Somerset (no date).
Henry De MERIET, County Somerset. During reigns of Henry III - Edward I.
John De MERYET, County Somerset. (Edward III.) Kirby's Quest p 93.
George De MERIET, County Somerset. (Edward III.) 1802 - Richard MERRYETT and Jane Dew, London 1,0, MDB County Somerset. 0,3.
MERRETT, 1113.
Ralph and Symon MERIET, 1202.

Coat of Arms:
MERRETT. (London, granted July 13, 1666).

MERRIOTT
Agricultural Village and Parish.
Population 1,172;
1,750 acres in Parish South Somerset, England.
Two miles north of Crewkerne.
Sail cloth manufacturing.

MERRITT
City; population, 940.
On mouth of Coldwater River and 45 miles south south-west of Hamloops.
Coal,iron, copper mining, Lumbering, fox farming and stock raising.

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