Surname Melville - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Melville: What does the surname Melville mean?
The surname Melville is of Scottish origin and is derived from a geographical locality. "Melville" is based on the place 'Malleville' in Normandy, France which translates to 'bad town' in English. The family name was first found in Midlothian, Scotland where the family held a family seat from very ancient times. While the literal meaning may seem negative, it does not necessarily reflect on the people bearing this last name as the meaning pertains to the geographical territory and not to the family's character or status. It gained historical significance through figures like Herman Melville, the American novelist renowned for his work Moby-Dick.
Order DNA origin analysisMelville: Where does the name Melville come from?
The last name Melville is most commonly found in the United States, where it ranks 1175th in terms of popularity. Outside of the United States, Melville is a surname found primarily in the United Kingdom, especially in Scotland where it is one of the most popular surnames. It is also found in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. The surname is believed to have originated in Scotland from the Old English word melu, meaning "honey."
The highest concentration of people with the last name Melville is in the northeastern United States: specifically in Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. The next highest concentrations are in the Midwest, with the highest concentrations in Nebraska, Iowa, and Michigan. Outside of the United States, there are pockets of Melvilles in Canada, primarily in Ontario and Quebec, as well as in England and Scotland.
Melville is a common surname, with people of various races and ethnicities carrying the name. Among European Americans, Melville is most commonly held by people of British Isles descent. Among African Americans, it is held by people of both British Isles and West African descent. It is also a popular name among both Jewish and Muslim Americans.
Variations of the surname Melville
The surname Melville originates from a territorial name in Scotland, derived from the Gaelic words 'maol' meaning 'bare' and 'dubh' meaning 'black'. There are several variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
Variants include Melvile, Mulville, MacMulvie, Mulvihill, Meville, Millville, McMill, Meleve, Melvine, Melves, Melviss, Milville, Milve and Mullvihill.
Spellings include: Melvill, Mellville, Milvil, Millvil, Melvil, Melvill, Mallville, Mevill, Millvile, and Millfil.
Surnames of the same origin include Masson, Mais, Mass, Maes, Mails, Maiz, Mas, Mays, Mayes, Maise, Mace, Masse, Mess, Maze, Medd, Messer, Mestre, Messman, Mastor and Mauger.
In the United States, some African American Melvilles have changed their surname to Melton, Milam, Melverly, Mallory, Melver, Melvin and Melverine. Other United States variations include: Mellon, Melving, Milvain, Mulvenon, Melvena, Melnick, Melbar, Mellick, Molveno, Melvino and Melgram.
In France, the spelling changed to Milvain, Mellan and Melon. In Ireland, the spelling became Millane and Melvan. In England, the spelling changed to Millan, Millen and Millin. In Germany, the spelling changed to Mylvain, Millan and Miling.
The genesalogists from the Melville Society International suggest that all variations and spelling from the surname ‘Melville’ can be linked back to the original Gaelic name ‘Maoildubh’.
Famous people with the name Melville
- Herman Melville: (1819: 1891) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet. He is best known for his novel 'Moby Dick'.
- Alan Melville: (1908: 1984) was a British playwright and author. His works include the plays Conference in Berlin and Reluctant Heroes, as well as novels such as Love in the Afternoon.
- Charles Melville: (1851: 1920) was an English Orientalist and academic. He was a professor of Persian literature at the University of Cambridge, and was involved in the British dictionary of biographical and literary terms, the Encyclopaedia of Religion and Ethics.
- Clive Melville: (1919: 1996) was a British actor, who starred in several British films and television series.
- Clare Moore Melville: (born 1950) is an American marriage and family therapist, life coach and author.
- Lord George Melville: (1742: 1814) was a Scottish politician and ambassador. He served as the Secretary of the State for the Northern Department in 1778 and held various positions in the British government until 1783.
- James Melville: (1556: 1614) was a Scottish preacher who wrote several books advocating a Presbyterian system of church governance.
- Simon Melville: (1778: 1854) was a Scottish clergyman and missionary. He founded the British and Foreign Bible Society and was president of the London Missionary Society.
- Sarah Melville: (born 1987) is a Canadian actress, best known for her roles in the films The Pink Panther and The Covenant.
- Arthur Melville: (1858: 1904) was a Scottish Impressionist painter, best known for his landscape paintings.