Below are some of the different spellings of our Surname
The poster (right), designed by Jan Kelly, lists 107 variations of our surname and was signed by those attending the 1st International Merrilees Gathering in Edinburgh in 1998.
Norwegian Merrilees
An email received by the MFA from Gerdt Riise inquiring about his Merrilees roots has led to the discovery of a Norwegian branch of the Merrilees Clan. Gerdt who now lives in Sweden is a descendant of Adam Mirileis born 1731 in Scotland, who married widow Anna Kirstine Larsdtr in Bergen, Norway in 1760.
Sadly there are no more left with the name but we are delighted to have been found by Gerdt who continues to do research so that we can connect him to our international family tree.
Quite by coincidence, Nina Karlsen, a Norwegian librarian and hobby genealoger, has been researching the Norwegian branch of our family. She recently contacted us via the Merrilees Clan website saying "it was a kick to see all the spelling variations on your site", and provided the list (at right) of our surname variations that have shown up in Norwegian sources.
Areliesen (1801 census, Bergen)
Mareliasen (church record, birth 1825, Kristiansund)
Mareliassen (church record, confirmation 1841, Kristiansund)
Marelies (church record, birth, Kristiansund)
Merelees (census 1865, Bergen)
Merelias (church record, birth 1794, Bergen)
Merelies (church record, marriage 1847, Bremsnes)
Mereliassen (church record, birth 1816, Bergen)
Merelies (church record, birth 1858, Bergen)
Merelis (church record, birth, Kristiansund)
Merelisen (church record, birth 1828, Kristiansund)
Meriles (church record, birth, Kristiansund)
Merilees (church record, birth 1851, Bergen)
Merileis (church record, birth 1765, Bergen)
Merilies (church record, birth 1856, Bergen)
Merlees (census 1865, Bergen)
Merles (census 1865, Bergen)
Merlis (census 1865, Kristiansund)
Merlus (church record, marriage 1879, Bergen)
Mirileis (church record, marriage 1760, Bergen)
Mæreleer (church record, marriage 1850, Bergen)
Meseles (church record, birth, Kristiansund)