Type Surname (from location)
Usage English
Pronounced Pron. MAHR-lee  [key·IPA]

Meaning & History

Originally denoted a person who hailed from one of the various places in Britain called Marley, ultimately meaning either "pleasant wood", "boundary wood" or "marten wood" in Old English. One of the main characters in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol (1843) bears this surname.

Related Names

Given Name DescendantsMarlee, Marley, Marly(English)

Categories

Entry updated November 16, 2019