The Merten Family Name

Merten? Think of it as Mertens with a different pen. Surname dictionaries give the meaning as “Son of Martin”.

Spelling and variants

Merten drops the “s” of Mertens, a shortening that clerks often made. Before spelling was standardised, one family could appear under several forms. Other spellings include Mertins.

According to the 2010 US Census, the Merten surname had 1,769 bearers. Between 1891 and 2000, 357 babies born in France were registered as Merten, with the most births in 1981–1990.

Family crest and blazon

Heraldry is personal: arms associated with the Mertens surname were borne by specific families, and sharing the name does not mean sharing the blazon.

For the full story, order the Merten surname pack.