Melville family

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Melville is the name of a notable Scots family originally from Fife in eastern Scotland.

Its members include Andrew Melville, theologian and reformer, Sir James Melville of Halhill (1535-1617) Scots Ambassador to the court of Queen Elizabeth of England whose 'Memoirs' (published in 1689) are an important historical source for this period, and Michael Linning Melville, Governor of Sierra Leone during the reign of William IV and abolitionist.

[edit] Origins and early history

Most sources state that the family is descended from Galfridus de Melville, a Norman knight who settled in Scotland in the 12th Century. The surname is said to derive from Malleville a manor in the Pays de Caux.

James Melville was one of the leading assassins of Cardinal David Beaton on 29 May 1546.

[edit] The House of Monimail

In 1612 Sir Robert Melville of Burntisland, the former Vice-Chancellor and Treasurer Depute of Scotland and an Extraordinary Lord of Session acquired the Palace of Monimail - formerly an official residence of the Archbishops of St Andrews. His younger brother was the famous Sir James Melville of Halhill (vide ultra).

Nine years later Melville of Burntisland was created first Lord Melville of Monimail, the title and estate passing after his death in 1621 first to his son, Robert, and then to his great-nephew, John Melville of Raith.

The third Lord Melville died in 1643 and was succeeded by his seven year old son, George, who was to be responsible for building the present Melville House on the estate of Monimail.

[edit] The House of Leslie-Melville

In the United Kingdom main branch of Melville family is the Leslie-Melville family, Earls of Leven and (since 1690) of Melville as well.

The family gained its surname from the 1655 marriage of George, Fourth Lord Melville and First Earl of Melville to Catherine Leslie a descendant of Alexander Leslie, first Earl of Leven.

In 1681 their son David Leslie-Melville inherited the title of Earl of Leven. In 1707 he succeeded his father as Earl of Melville.