There are two proposed origins for the Word – MERINO, one is Spanish, and the other may be even older, or derived from Latin: Merino may be an adaptation to the sheep of the name of a Castilian official inspector (merino), who may have also inspected sheep pastures. This word comes from the medieval Latin majorinus, a steward or head official of a village, from major, meaning great. Merino may also have been derived from the name of a Berber tribe, the Marini (or in Castilian, Benimerines), which intervened in the Iberian peninsula during the 12th and 13th centuries.
Merino are the top breed in regions where sheep are bred for their wool rather than their mutton, as in New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, South Africa and the western United States. There are different 'blends' of merinos, as well - for instance, in New Zealand, the merino has been crossed with Lincolns, Leicesters, Shropshires, Suffolks and other breeds to improve mutton quality. Because the humidity engenders wool rot and cotting (matting which is caused by movement of the fleece relative to the sheep), the merino is not commonly bred in the United Kingdom. Australia produces the best merino wool material and that is where Consinee imports our merino wool yarn material.