Melrand

Melrand Mêlrant
Commune
The Calvary of Melrand, on the road to Guémené-sur-Scorff
Coat of arms
Location of Melrand
Melrand Melrand
Coordinates: 47°58′52″N 3°06′37″W
Country	France
Region	Brittany
Department	Morbihan
Arrondissement	Pontivy
Canton	Pontivy
Intercommunality	Baud Communauté
Government
• Mayor (2020–2026)	Charles Boulouard
Area 1	40.39 km2 (15.59 sq mi)
Population  (2023)	1,598
• Density	39.56/km2 (102.5/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	56128 /56310
Elevation	32–161 m (105–528 ft)
1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Melrand (French pronunciation: [mɛlʁɑ̃]; Breton: Mêlrant) is a commune in the Morbihan department of Brittany in north-western France.

Population

Inhabitants of Melrand are called in French Melrandais. Melrand's population peaked at 3,712 in 1921 and declined to 1,598 in 2023. This represents a 57% decrease in total population since the peak census figure.

Historical population

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1793	2,635	—
1800	2,714	+0.42%
1806	2,242	−3.13%
1821	2,761	+1.40%
1831	2,887	+0.45%
1836	2,907	+0.14%
1841	2,705	−1.43%
1846	3,109	+2.82%
1851	3,128	+0.12%
1856	3,053	−0.48%
1861	3,040	−0.09%
1866	3,212	+1.11%
1872	3,032	−0.96%
1876	3,161	+1.05%
1881	3,241	+0.50%
1886	3,295	+0.33%
1891	3,421	+0.75%
1896	3,535	+0.66%
1901	3,600	+0.37%

Year	Pop.	±% p.a.
1906	3,570	−0.17%
1911	3,666	+0.53%
1921	3,712	+0.12%
1926	3,658	−0.29%
1931	3,637	−0.12%
1936	3,526	−0.62%
1946	3,005	−1.59%
1954	2,575	−1.91%
1962	2,149	−2.24%
1968	2,031	−0.94%
1975	1,883	−1.08%
1982	1,771	−0.87%
1990	1,584	−1.39%
1999	1,525	−0.42%
2007	1,509	−0.13%
2012	1,503	−0.08%
2017	1,516	+0.17%
2023	1,598	+0.88%

Source: EHESS and INSEE (1968–2023)

Geography

The village centre is located 14 km (8.7 mi) southwest of Pontivy and 32 km (20 mi) northeast of Lorient. Historically, the village belongs to the Vannetais. The Blavet river forms the eastern border of the commune. The Sarre river, a tributary of the Blavet river, flows through Melrand.

Neighbouring communes

Melrand is border by Bubry to the west, by Guern to the north, by Pluméliau-Bieuzy to the east and by Quistinic to the south.

Map

Topographic map

Breton language

In 2008, 31.4% of children in the commune attended schools taught in Breton and French for their primary education.

History

In September 1592, the Spanish mercenaries in the service of the Duke of Mercœur plundered all the neighboring parishes of Guémené, including Melrand.

See also

• Communes of the Morbihan department

External links

• Cultural Heritage (in French)
• Mayors of Morbihan Association (in French)