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CONTENTS: 
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1)  ORIGINS OF THE SURNAME MARSH:
2)  ALTERNATIVE SPELLINGS OF MARSH:
3)  EARLY REFERENCE TO MARSH:

1)  ORIGINS OF THE SURNAME MARSH:

"Mersc" is an old English word for a marsh.  "Marsch" is a middle lower German word, meaning marsh, fen, or swamp.  Latin "de Marisco", and Norman French "de Marreis" were some of the early surnames for persons who were a dweller near a Marsh. 

It appears that a prominent Norman family of de Mareis/ de Marisco/ de Marcq/ de Merc (whose descendants adopted the surname Marsh, Marris, Maris, and Morris, and possibly March, and Mark) were among the early recorded Marshes in England.   Some modern day Marshes may descend from the Norman family of de Mareis/ de Marisco, and others will descend from persons living by a Marsh, who took the name of Marsh when it became common to adopt surnames.  One source seems to hint that one family of de Marisco/ Marsh was living in Yorkshire before 1066, almost certainly a different family from the Norman de Mariscos.

Although not all Marshes will have a direct male line common ancestor since surnames have been used, some Marsh families are very old, huge, and wide spread.  The DNA study will identify related groupings of Marshes.  We are finding DNA evidence of what seems a very early Marsh family which may have spread out from the Dorset/ Somerset area.  We are also finding DNA evidence of a Marsh family from Kent going back to the 1300s, and believed to descend from an Anglo-Saxon family.  There are documented lines from the Norman de Mariscos who came with William the Conqueror, and fought at the battle of Hastings, and we have some preliminary Y-DNA indications of this.  We have identified separate Y-DNA lines from Marsh families from a number of different English counties, which trace back more than 500 years.  We have also have identified different Marsh Y-DNA lines tracing to mainland Europe.

Below are some of the variant spellings of Marsh which have been used over time.  Most persons of surname Marsh, are likely to have descend from Marsh families in England in the past 1,000 years.  I am aware of some persons using the surname of Marsh, who relatively recently descend from families from Holland, France, Czechoslovakia, and Germany etc, who have anglicized the spelling of their surname to Marsh, from in some cases names which essentially had the same meaning as Marsh, and perhaps in some cases even descending from the same Norman ancestors as some of the early English Marshes.

One source says the Marsh family was "First found in Kent where they were seated from very early times and were granted lands by Duke William of Normandy, their liege Lord, for their distinguished assistance at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 A.D."  However, the Norman de Marisco (de Merc) family, said to have been at the Battle of Hastings with William the Conqueror in 1066,  was definitely in Wales, Hampshire, Dorset, Lundy, Northhamptonshire, and Somerset very early on, and appears to have spread from there to Essex, Ireland, and Lincolnshire, before spreading out further.  It is possible that the family was in Essex very early.  It is possible this family also spread from Essex into Cambridgeshire before 1100, where they certainly held some lands.  I have seen indications of some of the Norman family having gone to Kent before 1200, but I am unsure if the family established there.

One thing which I have to say, is that many "experts" who comment on the origins of surnames, come up with completely different stories.  Whilst the commonly occurring stories on the origins of names may well be correct, it would seem that many surnames have evolved separately from unrelated sources.  For example, in the case of some Morrises, their surname may derive from de Mareis/ de Marisco, a common origin with some modern day Marshes, but other Morrises appear to have an entirely unrelated origin for their surname. 

Origin of Marsh Immigrants to USA: One sources says based on USA census information, (not sure what year) Marsh Immigrants came from England (69%), Ireland (14%), Great Brittain (7%), Germany (6%), Canada (2%), Scotland (2%).  This possibly gives a good general indication of where Marsh families have originated.

For a general description of the development of surnames in England, see descriptions at the following links... http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/beyond/factsheets/surnames/surnames_origins.shtml . 
http://www.last-names.net/  (Last name meanings)
http://www.behindthename.com/  (Behind the name)
http://www.familychronicle.com/surname.htm   (Surname Origin List)
http://www.surnamedb.com/

For an ariticle on distribution of surnames: see... http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/beyond/factsheets/surnames/surnames_distrib.shtml   I have noticed a distinct pattern for the distribution of the surname of Marsh.   At some point I will include some information on this website showing distribution of Marsh families.
http://www.hamrick.com/names/  (US Surname Distribution)
http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLnames/Map.aspx?name=MARSH&year=1881&altyear=1998&country=GB&type=name (Distribution of surnames 1881 England)
http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/default.aspx  (Distribution of surnames UK)

Frequency of surnames: For the frequency of the surname Marsh in USA... http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/namesearch.pl   ie .025%, the 457th most comon name in USA.  In England Ireland & Wales see http://www.taliesin-arlein.net/names/search.php , where Marsh is ranked 149th, with 39,401 Marshes.
http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/Default.aspx

Surname distribution maps:  For surname distribution maps in USA. & UK.. http://www.hamrick.com/names/ .  For surname distribution maps in Ireland, Cornwall, Scotland, Isle of Man... http://baz.perlmonk.org/surnames.cgi?view=alpha .
http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLnames/Surnames.aspx  Surname Profiler- maps- England 1881, 1998
http://www.ancestry.com/learn/facts/fact.aspx?ln=Marsh&fid=6  Surname distribution England 1891
http://www.surnameweb.org/marsh/surname-origin.htm
http://surname.sofeminine.co.uk/w/surnames/surname-marsh.html Surname Distribution in England by county
http://www.nationaltrustnames.org.uk/Map.aspx?name=MARSH&year=1881&altyear=1998&country=GB&type=name  Surname in UK 1881
http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/Default.aspx
http://www.publicprofiler.org/worldnames/Main.aspx   (World Surname Distribution Map)

2)  ALTERNATIVE SPELLINGS OF MARSH:

NOTE:   http://www.imagepartners.co.uk/Thesaurus/Search.aspx   This link is to an on line surname thesaurus, which lists 260 variant spellings attributed to Marsh.  It is really very hard to produce a meaningful list of variant spellings, because some spellings need to be assessed in relation to the context of the family.  In one country, a surname may be a variant of Marsh, but in another country, the same spelling might be from an entirely different origin. 

There is an interesting explanation by Diana Mattieson (who runs the Mack DNA Project) of variations in surname spellings at http://dgmweb.net/genealogy/Ancillary/OnE/Spelling.shtml . This highlights some of the factors which have lead to variations in spelling of names.  

I am not an expert on pronunciation  (or probably much else!).  I note this comment which a picked up from one source...  "Latin C was always pronounced /k/, just as though it were a kappa in Greek."  Perhaps the some of the evolution of surname spellings would be quite clearly explained, if we had a thorough understanding of the way pronunciation of letters have changed over time.  I note that some of the early surnames below would have been influenced by changes in pronunciation of "c"  and "k".

DNA surname projects which may have some overlap with the Marsh study are:
1) MACK/ MACKH/ MAACK/ MAACH/ MAGG/ MAAG/ MAAK/ MAK/ MAG:  Some of the variants may turn out to variants of Marsh, so if DNA matches turn up with Marshes, it will be of interest to look for possible deep ancestry connections. 
2) MOCK/ MAAG/ MAAK/ MACH/ MACK/ MAK/ MAUCH/ MAUCK/ MAUK/ MECK/ MEEK/ MUKE: (http://members.cox.net/dmauck/ ).  So far some Mock participants have shown close matches to some Marshes.  
3) NASH/ MASH:  I have seen a Marsh recorded in records as Nash, and Mash was often used for Marsh. 
4) MUSICK/ MUSIC:  I speculate Mu-si-ck may possibly be a variant of Mer-s-c, which was a very early spelling of Marsh.  I note a closish match of one Musick and Marsh so far, and the first recorded use of Musick in England, in the 1500s,  was 12 miles from where the Marsh line concerned was traced to in the 1700s.  It seems Mursick and Mersick may sometimes be used as variants of Musick.
5) MASEK:  There appears to be a DNA study of Masek.  http://smgf.org:8081/pubgen/site6.jsp   If one stretches the imagination, Masek could be a variation of Musick.   (possibly Mezick is also related??)
http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/mezick.htm)
6) MORRIS: Definitely derived from de Marisco in some instance, so related to some Marshes.  Contact the Morris Before 1790 Group Administrator.  According to tradition, some Morrises in Ireland are descended from the Norman de Marisco family, and coats of arms seem to support this view.
7) MORSE/ MOSS and variants:  These surnames are certainly believed in some instances to trace to de Marisco, the origins of some Marsh lines.  http://www.familytreedna.com/surname_sum.asp?let=M&projecttype=S
8) MAY/ MAYE/ MAYES/ MAYS:   www.richmark.com/q/maytree/May-Reconstruction.html Some May/ Mays seem to have close DNA matches to some Marshes.  Perhaps it is possible there is a name change progression May/ Mays/ Mayrs/ Maris/ de Marisco?

DEMARSH? (and possible variants DeMarsh/ DeMars/ DeMaris/ DeMers/ Demerice/ DeMeris etc)
HINDMARSH:  http://www.hindmarsh.org.uk/page3.htm
MAC MUIRIS:  in Ireland, from de Marisco.
MAERSK:  Danish shipping family from Ballum in North Schleswig, Denmark, where the name is believed to derive from the marshy area.  http://about.maersk.com/en/History/NameAndLogo/
MARASCO:
MARC:
MARCH:  Many instances of persons changing spelling from Marsh to March and vice versa.
MARCHE:  Variation of March
MARCK:  Some sources say descendants of de Marck/ de Marcq etc became de Marisco/ de Mareis, and eventually the surname became Marsh/ March/ Marris etc in modern times.  Some early genealogies dispute that de Marisco originated from de Marck ancestors, and say they trace back to a de Montmorency family.  I currently favour the de Marck/ de Marcq/ de Merck/ de Merc origins, as there appear to be individuals recorded in different records as de Merck, and de Marisco.
MARCQ:  Hampshire circa 1150.  This I suspect stems from the Norman de Marisco family.
MARES:  From Czechoslovakia, some immigrants to USA changed name to Marsh and Maresh.  This may have been used in England also as a variant of Maris.
MAREIS:  Geofrey & Jordan de Mareis (de Marisco) circa 1150, name of Norman origin
MARETT: ?
MAREYS:  probably from Norman de Marreis/ de Mareis, as claimed by some.
MARIS:   probably from Norman de Marreis/ de Mareis
MARISH:  One source says, "the name 'Marish' is nothing to do with a marsh but is manorial in origin, the manor having been held by the family of Mareys or, in Latinised form, Marisco.".  
MARISCO (DE):  Geoffrey de Marisco, Hampshire d. 1189
MARISCOE:
MARREIS: variant spelling of Mareis
MARREZE:  Italian name converted to Marsh by Italian immigrants to USA.
MARR:  ? Relationship to Marsh may depend on context.  Some English Marrs may have a common origin to Marsh/ Marris.
MARSE:
MARSCH: often with origins in Germany and nearby countries
MARSH:  most common modern spelling. (72,000 persons of surname Marsh in USA)
MARSHE:
MARSKE (DE): http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Marske/Marske90.html
http://www.ancestry.com/search/SurnamePage.aspx?html=b&ln=Marske&sourcecode=13304  There is one source says Marske derives from the Viking words for "horse ridge".
MARTZ:  http://genforum.genealogy.com/march/messages/437.html descendants are March/ Marsh.
MARYS:
MASH:  reasonably common older spelling.
MASSH:
MEARCHE:
MEARSH: 
MEARS:?
MECHE:  Some Marsh families from Louisiana USA are said to use the spelling Marsh, and others of the same family the French variant Meche.
MERSH:  reasonably common older spelling.
MERSHE:  reasonably common older spelling.
MERSC (DE): http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/YKS/NRY/Marske/Marske90.html
MESH:  http://ca.geocities.com/colestips/Mesh.htm
MOIREIR:  (De Moireir) This occurs in a book of Gaelic Irish names as a variant of Marsh.  Y-DNA from a family of Moir from Scotland, has a slight similarities to some English Marsh families, not compelling evidence of relationship, but enough to keep an open mind about.
MORSE:  I have seen Morse occasionally used for Marsh in old records.  Morse has variants-  Morrice/ Morris/ Mors/ Morse/ Morss/ Moss.  There are currently 2 separate Morse DNA projects. 
MORRIS:  descendants from Jordan de Mareis/ de Marisco, circa 1150, (Morris is common in Ireland), de Mareis ancestors from Devon, then France before that.  Morrises settled in Galway in 1485.   It is interesting that one of the Morris coats of arms, has similar elements to the early Marsh coats of arms, perhaps reflecting the family links,... or is it coincidental?.  Some say Morris is a surname derived from the Welsh personal name "Meurig", so Morris may have multiple, separate origins.  See also... http://www.goireland.com/genealogy/scripts/Family.asp?FamilyID=245 re Morris surname.  The following site gives an alternative derivation for Welsh Morrises.. http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~markfreeman/morris3.html   
MORRISSEY:  in Ireland, from de Marisco.
DE SOMERY:  http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~pillagoda/ch2-04.htm   "The original surname may have been Sausmarez (pronounced Sommeries) deriving from the fief of Saumareys (saltmarsh) in the parish of St. Clement, Jersey (the Channel Islands were fiefs of Normandy).  Saumarys was given to Ralph de St. Hilaire du Harcouet (whose crest was a falcon) by William Rufus in 1096.    Variations of this surname were Dumaresq, Marsh, Maurice, de Marisco, de la Mare, de Salso Marisco, Saltmarsh, Samersq, Salinelles and Sausmarais deriving from the French "saumure" meaning brine."
SEMARK:   A de Merc/ de Merck family of Cambridgeshire/ Huntingdonshire which derived from the Norman de Marisco family, had no sons to continue the line at one point, and a son of a de Merc daughter carried on the inheritance in that family.   The daughters son took the name "Semark" (and variant spellings) which is said to derive from "Saint Mark".

The following are names I have come across which have been Anglicized to Marsh.

MARUCHEWSKI:  http://www.oriscus.com/dn/gen/_marsh.htm   Descendants of this surname using Marsh as surname.
MARZUSCH:  http://www.marshfamilyhistory.com/Genealogy/pedigree.php?personID=I698&tree=Marsh1&display=compact Descendants of this surname using Marsh as surname.  http://www.marshfamilyhistory.com/Genealogy/descend.php?personID=I699&tree=Marsh1
MARES:  From Czechoslovakia, pronounced Maresh, Americanised to Marsh.
MARREZE:  Italian name converted to Marsh by Italian immigrants to USA.
VAN MARSH:  http://www.deeproots.org/about/general/cnn_womenineducation.pdf   Alphonso van Marsh
VAN MARSBERGEN:  (spelling is from my memory, may not be correct) Descendants of Dutch family took the name of Marsh.
MOERSCH: German name Anglicised to Marsh.. http://www.brightok.net/~lguthrie/Page334-.htm
MARSCHAJW:  Poland/ Russia http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/message/an/surnames.marsh/672

(MUSICK?/ MUSIC?/ MURSICK?/ MERSICK?):  One Marsh family in the DNA study has DNA which matches a Mursick 27/31.  (26/29 with the earliest Marsh ancestor)  I am not aware of any relationship of the surname Marsh to Musick.   However, I wondered if one old spelling of Marsh, ie Mersc, could be significant.   Could Mer-s-c relate to Mer-si-ck, or Mu-si-ck?  Some of surname Musick trace to Wales around 1600.  Some Norman de Marsicos (sometimes referred to as de Mersc) were in Wales prior to 1100 it appears.  The earliest recorded use of the Musick surname in England is in Cambridgeshire in the 1500s, in a village about 12 miles from where the Marsh family with similar DNA originated.

(MUSK?): Perhaps this may be a variation of Marsh (or the olders form Merck/ or Mersc/ or Marcq) Musk is common as a surname in Suffolk England and surrounding counties. 

(MEZICK?/ MESSICK?):  Could these be variants of Musick?  http://www.tyaskin.com/handley/mezick.htm

(BRAY): one who lived by a Marsh or Knoll, see http://www.searchmalta.com/surnames/bray/index.shtml

3)  EARLY REFERENCE TO MARSH:

EARLY USE OF THE SURNAME MARSH:

Early uses of the surname Marsh in particular geographic areas, might hint at the ancestors or family of some of present day Marshes who trace back to those areas.  It might be a bit much to say that the DNA project will be able to identify in some cases the living descendants of these early Marshes, but with a lot of luck, .... who knows what conclusions might be indicated.  I am an optimist. 

http://www.local.ie/content/27947.shtml   (Morris surname in Ireland, derives from family of Jordan & Geoffrey de Mareis)
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=PED&db=johanson&id=I36440   (Pedigree of Geoffrey de Marisco, Justiciary of Ireland, b.1150 Somerset, England.    Note, this genealogy disagrees with the following genealogy which includes the same person. Recently I saw some credible evidence which suggests the following records may be more accurate.)
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~sliabhluachraces/castleisland.htm   (Geoffrey de Marisco some info on his family)
http://longislandgenealogy.com/bristow/fam03335.htm   (Geoffrey de Marisco pedigree)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~jamesdow/s056/f098763.htm   (de Mareis/ de Marisco/ de Marck circa 1100, ancestors of Prince William, & Winstone Churchill etc)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/6575/library/harveybo.htm   (I have copied the following from this source....
  Amongst the Anglo-Normans who went over to Ireland from England in 1171 under "Strongbow" (Richard de Clare, Earl of Pembroke), was Herve de Leon, or de Monte Marisco. He was a descendant of Robert Fitz-Harvey, or de Herve', a valiant soldier who came to England with William the Conqueror, as appears by the chronicles of Normandy and England. Without doubt Herve' de Monte Marisco, or Harvey of Montmarsh, was the progenitor of the old and prominent families of Harvey, Harvy and Harvie which have long flourished on the Emerald Isle.    Henry, a son of Harvey of Montmarsh, remained in England and was in the wars with King Richard I. During the succeeding reign of King John he was held in much esteem by that monarch, as appears by the royal grant to him of the forestership of New Forest, Achilles Garth and other lands beyond the river Trent about the year 1203. [See Burke's "History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, " IV::507.]
To me, this confuses the debate over whether Herve de Montmorency was the ancestor of Geoffrey de Marisco.  Was "Herve de Monte Marisco" the same person as "Herve de Montmorency"?  The Coat of Arms of a supposed descendant of Herve de Monte Marisco circa 1,600 include 3 squirels, and does't resemble de Montmorency Arms.   However, Vicount Mount Morres arms are similar to de Montmorency arms.)
http://archiver.rootsweb.com/th/read/GEN-MEDIEVAL/2000-04/0956257510   (comments of purported relationships of de Marisco/ Morris/ de Montmorency) see exert below...
   The de Marisco of Huntspill family appeared in a pedigree which purported to show the connection between the "de Montmorency family" and the family of Morres, (changed to de Montmorency) of co Wexford, Ireland - but unfortunately (for me) this pedigree is thoroughly pulled to bits by J H Round (see CP Vol IX Appendix I, )
http://www.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/invasion.htm   (refers to Harvey de Montmarish as aka Hervey de Montmorency)
http://books.google.com/books?id=UOsIAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA1-PA654&lpg=RA1-PA654&dq=%22de+marisco%22+france&source=web&ots=EuDhxektA7&sig=KNAEhrtFx7afnJumPKZBIfwn4gU (Hervey de Montmorency)
http://www.nalanda.nitc.ac.in/resources/english/etext-project/history/ireland/book-4chapter5.html   (this source says that the Herve de Montmorency, who founded the title of "Mountmorres", was brother of Geoffrey de Montmorency who became Justicar of Ireland.  Herve retired to Canterbury.)
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~egreef/channelislandsurnames.htm   (Marett, surnamed derived possibly from Marsh)
http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Plains/3552/walsh/dat26.htm#12   (Jordan de Mareis circa 1150)
http://www.bodley.ox.ac.uk/dept/scwmss/wmss/online/medieval/windrush/windrush000.html (Robert de Mareis ca. 1272)
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~sliabhluachraces/castleisland.htm   (castle built 1220 by Geoffrey de Marisco)
http://www.montana.com/mccarthy/Articles/BattleOfCallann.html   (Geoffrey de Marisco, Justiciar of Ireland, circa 1220)
http://homepages.rootsweb.com/~walsh/history/ormond_deeds.html   (Herbert de Marisco, Dublin, 1321, Dionisus de Marisco 1297)
http://worldconnect.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=DESC&db=:2640299&id=I105237   (Theophilus Marsh, b.1160, Yorkshire?)
http://www.savagemind.com/encyclopedia/Philosophers/RogerBacon   (Adam de Marisco, circa 1265)
http://www.textmanuscripts.com/home/THEME/THEMEHISTORYDESCRITPION.PHP?m=84   (Bishop Anslem de Marisco circa 1328)
http://www.btinternet.com/~gumbleton/compendium/c28.html   (John de Marisco, circa 1300)
http://www.trytel.com/~tristan/towns/ipswich2.html   (Edmund de Marisco circa 1200, Ipswich, Suffolk)
http://www.jodygoad.com/d0000/g0000030.html   (Joan de Marisco, circu 1300)
http://www.devon.gov.uk/library/locstudy/placlu.html   (Marisco Family Ireland)
http://www.combs-families.org/combs/records/england/dev/combemartin.htm   (Ricardus de Marisco de Cumba, ca.
960-1000)
http://rochegenealogy.blogspot.com/   (Henry Atte Mersh circa 1360, London)
http://www.marsh.org/genialogy.html   (reference to Agnes Marsch, Wurttemberg, Germany, 1663,  Godard de lar Merse, 1194, Somerset, Elizabeth Marsh, Monmouthshire 1629)
http://fp.gregharper.plus.com/massdist.htm   (refers to circa 1402, "Marshe's or Coleville's manor in Walpole, Norfolk.".)
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=search_all1.asp&clear_form=true   (William Marsh, b.1420? Marton, Kent.)
http://www.laburnumhh.co.uk/ramb_target_middle.htm   (William De Marisco d.1242, the infamous "Robber Baron Of Lundy".)
http://www.devon.gov.uk/library/locstudy/placlu.html (Marisco family, Lundy)
http://www.ecastles.co.uk/marisco.html   (Marisco Castle, Lundy Island, Devon, photo)
http://www.linksmart.co.uk/furneaux/guestbooklatest.htm   (Hereward de Marisco, circa 1276,  Salisbury)
http://terrymarsh.ezhoster.com/Page_3.html (Godard de la Merse, Somerset 1194/ Henry del Merse, Yorkshire 1212)
http://www.broadfieldcourt.co.uk/history.htm   (Thomas de Marisco circa 1272, Herefordshire)
http://www.robinmarris.itgo.com/Marrisfamily.htm   (Marris family traced to de Marisco, to de Marck)
http://www.infokey.com/hall/baron1.htm   (Richard de Marisco & Robert Marsh, feudal barons supported King John 1215)
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