My data archives access
Data that I hold:-
Civil births in England and Wales 1837 to 1983
Civil marriages in England and Wales, 1837 to 2005
Civil deaths in England and Wales, 1837 to 2005
Civil probate in England and Wales, 1858 to 1996
Parish Registers Marriages Merredew/Merreden 1538 to 1699
Parish Registers Marriages Merredew/Merreden 1700 to 1899
Parish Registers Marriages Merredew/Merreden 1900 to 1921
Apprenticeships Merredew/Merriden, 1594 to 1807
Parish Registers - Baptisms 1538 - 1700, 1540 to 1700
Parish Registers - Baptisms 1701 - 1800, 1701 to 1800
Parish Registers - Baptisms 1801 - 1920, 1801 to 1910
Surrey Land Tax 1780 - 1832, 1780 to 1832
London Land Tax 1692 - 1932, 1932 to 1932
Probate pre 1858
1939 Register
Origins of the Name and access to Merredew Profile
I have never been happy with Reaney's suggestion that it is an English version of Meredith - if this was the case you would expect to find the name in those counties bordering Wales but it is not. Plus I don't regard Merryday as a variant. But on re thinking about this it is possible that the name started in Wales as Meredydd which seems by 1700 to have evolved to Meredeth in Wales, in Shopshire this is also the case but also to Meriden but as yet I haven't found any direct generation name changes to Merredew.
My own theory is that it is based on a field name see below.
A Dictionary of British Surnames - P.H. Reaney 1961
Merridew, Merredy, Merriday: John Meridewe 1379 Yorkshire Poll Tax return. A English & Irish form of Meredith. Bardsley gives 2 examples of men called both Meredith and Meriday in 1596-8 and 1680-2.
Surnames of the United Kingdom - Henry Harrison 'that the name Merridew is probably for the French, Me're de Dieu ... and he translates 'from the dwelling by an effigy of the Mother of God'
The Oxford Names Companion 2002
'Meredith Welsh from the personal name of Meredydd or the more commonly, Maredudd. The OW for is Moretiud, of which the first element may mean 'pomp', splendour and the secord is udd lord. Var Merredy, Merriday, Merridew'
Earliest references to the name and as a place name;-
Dictionary of English Place Names A D Mills - Oxford University Press
Marden, Heref & Worc. Maurdine (sic) 1086 (DB), Magewurdin 1777. 'Enclosed settlement in the district called Maund'.OE worthign
Marden, Kent. Maeredaen c1100. 'Woodland pasture for mares, or near a boundary' OE mere or (ge)maere + denn.
Marden, Wilts. Mercdene 941, Meresdene 1086 (DB). Probably 'boundary valley'. OE mearc+denu.
Marden, East, North and West, West Sussex. Meredone 1086 (DB). 'Boundary Hill@. OE (ge)maere+dun
Meriden, W. Midlands. Mereden 1230. 'Pleasant Valley' or valley where merry making takes place'. OE myrge+denu
The Place-Names of Surrey Place - English Place Name Society Vol XI 1982 p.272
Merriden Farm, Wotton Hundred, Dorking Parish Hamlet of Coldharbour,
is Murydene 1249 Feet of Fines, Merydene 1373 Endowments, Merryden 1385, Myryeden c1400 Norfolk, Mereden 1620 Endowments. ‘Pleasant Valley, myrige, denu. Identical in origin with Marden infa 318.
P 318 Marden Park, Tandridge Hundred, Godstone Parish, is Meryden 1321 Feet of Fines, Muryden 1344 Penhurst, Muridene, Murydene 1349
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