DID YOU KNOW? Exploring North Brevard History - Titusville, Florida Compiled by Michael Knight for our Facebook Page How Merritt Island Got Its Name Merritt Island was referred to as Merritt’s Island as early as 1803 and as recently as 1930. The post office was commissioned as Merritt Island on June 1, 1935. In John McIntosh’s grant it is described as “An island in the Rio Ais, known by the name of the Isla de Punta de Piedra or by the Isla de Marratt, which name was given by the memorialist having a man of the same name residing thereon.” (Spanish Land Grants in Florida, vol. IV, Con. M28b-c, M29) Some believe Marratt may have been Captain Pedro Marratt, head surveyor of the Spanish governor in East Florida from 1791-1800. McIntosh was said to have 250 people on his grant including five white men, two of them with their families. (Certificate of Grant, May 18, 1803) The earliest map on which Merritt’s Island is named in the 1823 Tanner map. "Merritt Island" on Turners 1823 map BACK to the North Brevard Historical Society & Museum