For quite some time I have been searching for the origins of the Merfalen surname. I think I may have found it while indexing names contained in the History of Micronesia volume series by Rodrigue Levesque. In an 1827 report[1] containing a list of foreigners living on Guam, there is a recording of Juan Medfalin, an Englishman listed with cattleman as his occupation, married, living on Guam for the past eight months and sponsored by Laureano Taitagui. This would place Juan’s arrival on Guam sometime around the latter part of 1826. While the names and information in the report is quite narrow, Levesque (editor) footnoted, “Many of those names are hard to decipher; some contain errors in spelling or in transcription. First names have been left as they appear, in Spanish.”
If in fact John Medfalin was also known as Juan Merfalen (current surname spelling), he would likely be the paternal source of origin for the Merfalen family on Guam. This notion would also suggest that he may have had at least one son (first name currently unknown) who was the husband of Maria Quisalao[2]. Maria, born about 1830, was listed as a widow in the 1897 census[3].
Bibliography:
[1] Levesque, Rodrigue. 2003. History of Micronesia: Volume 22, the Lutke Expedition and the First D’urville Expedition, 1827-1830, p209. Levesque Publications. Quebec, Canada
[2] Påle’ Forbes, Eric. 2012. Accessed 11 Nov 2020, https://paleric.blogspot.com/2012/04/lost-surnames.html
[3] Mallada, Victor F. 1897. Padron de Almas: Año de 1897 (Transcription), p99-71a. Copy obtained from the Library of Congress.
