Mellott
A surname with likely Irish roots, probably a later spelling of a name such as Mellot or Mylotte.
The #7,328 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 67,826 Americans shares it.
Etymology
The historical citations suggest Mellott is related to earlier forms such as Mellot, Mellot(t), and Mylotte, but they do not give a secure derivation. In practice, this points to a surname that may be a later Anglicized spelling of an older Irish or English family name. The ending -ott can also reflect a diminutive or simply a later spelling variation rather than a separate root.
History
The name appears in historical surname lists in forms like Mellot and Mellott, with spellings varying over time. Because the provided excerpts are only incidental mentions, they do not establish a single accepted origin, but they do show that the surname was in use by the early 16th century in the tradition represented by the source. Modern Mellott is especially associated with English-speaking countries, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The spelling history is messy enough that 19th-century surname scholars sometimes grouped Mellott with several similar-looking names rather than treating it as a neatly separate family line.
From the historical record
“Mellot. Mellott. 40. Mvlott. 174, 179. Mylotte. 40. Melville.”
— Varieties and Synonymes of Surnames and Christian Names in Ireland