Merced
/mərˈsɛd/noun
A Spanish surname and place name, and a proper noun used for locations, institutions, and brands.
Did you know?Merced ultimately comes from Latin *merces*, meaning “reward,” which in Late Latin developed into the religious sense of “mercy” and “grace” that survives in Spanish *merced*.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
merces
“reward, wages, pay”
Late Latin
Latin
misericordia / mercedem
“mercy, favor, grace; also a reward or recompense in older senses”
Old Spanish
Spanish
merced
“mercy, grace, favor; also a title of respect in formal usage”
Modern Spanish
Spanish
merced
“mercy, grace; used in fixed expressions and honorific contexts”
Modern English
English
Merced
“A proper noun, especially as a surname or place name”