Surname Merlotte - Meaning and Origin

Merlotte: What does the surname Merlotte mean?

The last name Merlotte is of French origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word merlot, meaning 'blackbird'. The name was most commonly used to refer to someone who had a resemblance to a blackbird.

In France, Merlot is also commonly used to describe a deep red wine or a mixture of red wines. The Merlotte family is thought to have been wine makers and this is why the name may have been chosen.

The Merlotte name is also associated with a few other French regions, including Poitou-Charentes and Burgundy.

In more recent times, the name has sometimes been used as an occupational surname for someone who owned a mill, due to the resemblance of the word Merlotte to the French word for the grinding stone used by millers, muelle.

Overall, the last name Merlotte is particularly associated with France, being connected to both wine-making and milling, although it can also be found in other areas of Europe.

Merlotte: Where does the name Merlotte come from?

The last name Merlotte is most commonly found today in France. The surname traces back to the Middle Ages, when it was used to refer to a woodsman or gamekeeper. Historically, it was associated with people from the region of Brittany in the northwest of the country.

In the modern day, Merlotte is less widely used but is still one of the most common surnames in France. Statistical records in 2019 show that Merlotte ranks in the top 6% of the country's surnames, coming in at number 812. In terms of regional variations, Merlotte is much more popular in the region of Brittany, where it is the 86th most common surname.

Over the years, the surname Merlotte has spread to other regions of France and even to other countries. It can be seen in the United States, Canada, and some other countries in Western Europe.

Overall, the last name Merlotte is still very much alive today, although its popularity has waned slightly in recent decades, primarily due to its association with the region of Brittany. Nevertheless, it is still one of the most common surnames in France and can still be seen in other parts of the world.

Variations of the surname Merlotte

The surname Merlotte is a French name derived from a locality or geographic place in France. Variations and alternate spellings of the surname include Merlot, Merlots, Merlotte and Merlott. This name may also be spelled Merlot and Marlotte.

In French records, the Merlotte surname is found as Merlot, Merlotte, Marlot, Marlotte, Merlots, Merlu and Marlotot. The name is often found in the former French Provinces of Normandy, Lorraine, Aquitaine, Brittany, Picardy, Poitou and Languedoc.

In the early 19th century, many alternate spellings of the name may have been confused because of the similarity between the French and English words for the blackberry, which is "merlot" and "merlott". The pronunciation of the name likely varied among the French-speaking population of France, depending on regional accents and dialects.

There are several variations of the surname Merlotte in current spelling which include: Marlot, Merlott, Marlotte, Marlotot, Merlot, Merlotts, Marlotto and Merlotti. Many individuals with this family name are of French origins, however, other branches of the family may have also been of Italian and Spanish descent.

In recent history, the surname Merlotte has been commonly associated with the Merlotte's Bar & Grill in the fictional TV series True Blood. This is a popular destination for fictional vampires and other supernatural creatures. The Merlotte surname continues to be present in many of the main character's lives after the series finale.

Famous people with the name Merlotte

• Sam Merlotte: Character from the HBO television series True Blood.
• Arlene Merlotte: Character from the HBO television series True Blood.
• Terry Bellefleur: Character from the HBO television series True Blood with the stage name Merlotte when he was a singer.
• Suzanne Merlotte: Character from the HBO television series True Blood.
• Joe Merlotte: Character from the HBO television series True Blood.
• Paul Merlotte: Character from the HBO television series True Blood.
• Giselle Merlotte: Character from the HBO television series True Blood.
• Leander Merlotte: Member of the teddy-bear manufacturing industry in late 19th century Germany.
• Joanna Merlotte: Chronicler for the Enduring Hearth, a guild of adventurers in the English city of Middletown.
• Carlotta Merlotte: Opera singer in the late Eighteenth century.
• Reginald Merlotte: Member of the French nobility in the Fifteenth century.
• Pierre-Yves Merlotte: Member of the French Royal Court in the mid-seventeenth century.
• Amelie Merlotte: Member of the French Conde family in the Eighteenth century.
• Philippe Merlotte: French diplomat in the early Nineteenth century.
• Désirée Merlotte: Clothing designer from the mid-twentieth century.

Other surnames

MerlotMerlott