Merk

See also: merk and Mérk

English

Etymology

• As a Dutch surname, variant of Mark (both senses).
• As a German surname, From German Merk, shortening of Markwardt.

Proper noun

Merk (plural Merks)

1. A surname.

Statistics

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Merk is the 23054^th most common surname in the United States, belonging to 1109 individuals. Merk is most common among White (96.21%) individuals.

Anagrams

• kmer, Kmer

Dutch

Proper noun

Merk ?

1. Marck (a city in the Pas-de-Calais department, France)

German

Breitblätteriger Merk (Sium latifolium)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [mɛʁk], [mɛrk], [mɛɐ̯k]

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Middle Low German merk, from Old Saxon *merk, *merik, from Proto-West Germanic *marik.

Alternative forms

• Mark, Merke, Merck

Noun

Merk m (strong, genitive Merkes or Merks, plural Merks)

1. water parsnip (Sium gen. et spp.)
   • 1625, Valerius Herberger, Florilegium ex paradiso psalmorum. Paradiß-Blümlein, aus dem Lust-Garten der 150. Psalmen, nebst den Geheimnissen von Christo Jesu, Leipzig: Johann Friedrich Gleditschens seel. Sohn, published 1727 ^GB, page 24a:

     Ich muß auch hier eines guten bürgerlichen Hauß-Lateins gedencken. Es sind zwey Kräutlein: Eins heißt Merck, Sium oder Bachpungen. Das andere Melden, Atriplex. Das braucht ihr zum Grün-Kraut; davon haben eure Groß-Eltern etliche Reyme, die haben sehr viel Augen.
     Mercks und Melden
     Wachsen beyd in einem Felden.
     Brich Mercks; laß Melden stahn,
     So wirst du gewiß ein kluger Mann.

     Here too I have to commemorate a good burgherly house Latin: It’s two little herbs: One is called water parsnip, Sium or Bachpungen. The other saltbush, Atriplex. This you need to the green herb; of it your grand parents have many a rhyme, they have many eyes.
     Water parsnips and saltbushes
     Both grow in one field.
     Break water parsnips; let saltbushes stay,
     So you surely become a wise man.

Declension

Declension of Merk [masculine, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	der	Merk	die	Merks
genitive	eines	des	Merkes, Merks	der	Merks
dative	einem	dem	Merk, Merke1	den	Merks
accusative	einen	den	Merk	die	Merks

¹Now rare, see notes.

Etymology 2

Borrowed from Middle Low German merk, doublet of Mark.

Noun

Merk n (strong, genitive Merkes or Merks, plural Merke)

1. (obsolete) mark, token, indicium

Declension

Declension of Merk [neuter, strong]

	singular			plural
	indef.	def.	noun	def.	noun
nominative	ein	das	Merk	die	Merke
genitive	eines	des	Merkes, Merks	der	Merke
dative	einem	dem	Merk, Merke1	den	Merken
accusative	ein	das	Merk	die	Merke

¹Now rare, see notes.

References

• “Merk” in Deutsches Wörterbuch von Jacob und Wilhelm Grimm, 16 vols., Leipzig 1854–1961.

Polish

Etymology

From German Merk.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɛrk/
• Rhymes: -ɛrk
• Syllabification: Merk

Proper noun

Merk m pers

1. a male surname

Declension

Declension of Merk

	singular	plural
nominative	Merk	Merkowie
genitive	Merka	Merków
dative	Merkowi	Merkom
accusative	Merka	Merków
instrumental	Merkiem	Merkami
locative	Merku	Merkach
vocative	Merku	Merkowie

Proper noun

Merk f (indeclinable)

1. a female surname

Derived terms

• Merkowa
• Merkówna

 

Further reading

• “Merk”, in Internetowy słownik nazwisk w Polsce [Internet dictionary of surnames in Poland], 2022