An English surname, Merrifield comes from the Old English terms of ‘myrige’ and ‘feld’ which refer to a pleasant pasture. Spelling variations for Merrifield include Meervale, Merryall, Merefield, Merrefield, Maryfield, Merrifild and Merryfield. The earliest and still main English location for Merrifield families is in southwest England in the Cornwall and Devon regions. In Scotland the main location for any families with the Merrifield name is Banffshire county. In the United States most Merrifield families live in Maine, New York, Michigan, Massachusetts, California and New Hampshire. Famous: Eric M. Merrifield (inventor of dolos used in making concrete seawalls), Robert B. Merrifield (Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry in 1984) and William Merrifield (awarded the Victoria Cross during World War One).