Surname Murlette - Meaning and Origin

Murlette: What does the surname Murlette mean?

The last name Murlette is of French origin and was most likely derived from a place-name in France. It could have also been derived from the French words 'mur' meaning 'wall' and 'lette' meaning 'little', as Murlette may have been derived from the very specific name of a property with a small wall. The surname Murlette may refer to someone who either owned or resided near a walled estate, or to someone who worked in the building trades. It could have also been taken from a nickname meaning "the little waller” or “the one who builds small walls".

The Murlette surname is not a common one, and may be found primarily in France and the United States. In the U.S., the Murlette surname may have been introduced by French immigrants who settled in northern states such as New York and Pennsylvania.

The name Murlette may represent a distinct regional subgroup of the French population, as it appears to have been derived from a place-name or a nickname. Those who bear the name are likely to have descended from a small, localized group of people. It is a name with a characteristic French origin and is likely to have been in use in France for centuries.

Murlette: Where does the name Murlette come from?

The last name Murlette is a French surname derived from a given name, Mercelot, which in Anglo-Norman times was written as Murcelot. The name is usually spelled Murlette, Merlette, Muret, or Murlet in the United States. Murlette is not amongst the top 1000 surnames in the United States today, but its variations are.

As of the most recent census count, Merlette is ranked #21,176 in terms of popularity for the United States. Muret is ranked #58,916, and Murlet is ranked #87,767. The distribution pattern of these surnames suggests that at least some of their bearers live in the southeastern United States, since the names are most common there.

At one time the Murlette surname had a much broader presence in the United States and around the world, though its popularity appears to have declined over time. In France, Murlette is ranked #3,345 in terms of popularity and is most commonly found in the Occitanie region of the country.

It's possible that many of the present day Murlette families worldwide are descended from French ancestors who migrated to other parts of the world centuries ago.

Variations of the surname Murlette

The surname Murlette has several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, including: Muriel, Muir, Morgelin, Morel, Morlet, Morelet, Morele, Murel, Murall, Merlet, Murelle, Merle, Marle, Murette, Morrelle, Marlette, Marlet, Moreau, Maurel, Maurelle, Marion, Maurell, Marrall, Marrell, and Marrille.

Muriel is the earliest known spelling of the surname Murlette, and was used by French families during the Middle Ages. From this variant, other surnames derived which include Muir, Morgelin, and Morel, while Morlet was likely derived from the Old French term 'morel' meaning 'blackbird'. The surnames Morelet and Morele are derived from the Old Latin surname 'Moralis', which refers to 'a mere observer'.

Murel and Murall are derived from the Old French words 'murelle' meaning 'red-haired' and 'murelle' meaning 'ground bird'. Merlet is derived from the French verb 'merler' which means 'to cut off', while Murelle is derived from the Old French term 'mur' meaning 'wall', suggesting the presence of a walled estate.

Marle, Murette, Morrelle, Marlette, Marlet, Moreau, Maurel, Maurelle, Marion, Maurell, Marrall, Marrell, and Marrille are all derived from the Old French word 'maurelle' meaning 'small wall'. This likely indicates a family that owned a fortified residence, or some sort of town enclave. All of these spellings share the same origin, which is the name Murlette.

Famous people with the name Murlette

• Shannon Murlette: American actress best known for her roles on shows such as Charmed and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
• Andrea Murlette: American attorney who specialized in entertainment law for a number of years.
• François Murlette: Former French football player who played in the Italian Serie A and French first division.
• Laura Murlette: French hurdler who competed in the Olympics multiple times and won a gold medal for the 400 metre hurdles in the 2000 Sydney Olympics.
• Scott Murlette: Former professional American football player who played in the NFL for the Denver Broncos.
• Debbie Murlette: British actress and singer who has acted on both stage and screen, including in BBC's EastEnders.
• Alexander Murlette: American chess Grandmaster who won the U.S. Championship in 2007 and 2009.
• Dan Murlette: Long-time American television news correspondent whose career spanned working for CNN, ABC and CBS.
• Chad Murlette: Canadian professional ice hockey player with significant playing experience in the NHL, AHL and ECHL.
• Dante Murlette: British school principal and educationalist, best known for championing inclusivity in the school system and advocating for wider access to quality education.

Other surnames

MurletMurlett