Find out how popular the last name Meade is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Meade.

Meade, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Meade surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meade in America

Meade is the 1631st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meade surname appeared 22,091 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 7 people would have the surname Meade.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meade to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Meade

The surname Meade is of English origin, deriving from an Old English word "mæd" meaning meadow or grassland. It is thought to have originated as a topographic name, referring to someone who lived near or worked on a meadow.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mede" in various counties across England, including Essex, Hertfordshire, and Wiltshire.

In the 13th century, the name was often spelled "Mede" or "Meade," and it was commonly found in areas such as Norfolk, Suffolk, and Kent. During this period, the name was also associated with various place names, such as Meade's Farm in Essex and Meadow Court in Kent.

Notable individuals throughout history who have borne the surname Meade include George Meade (1815-1872), a Union general during the American Civil War who commanded the Army of the Potomac and led the victory at the Battle of Gettysburg. Another prominent figure was Edward Meade (1629-1705), an English clergyman and author who wrote several theological works.

In the 16th century, Robert Meade (1553-1633) was an English merchant and member of the Virginia Company, playing a significant role in the early colonization of America. Meanwhile, Richard Meade (1670-1730) was a British Army officer and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Maryland from 1720 to 1726.

The name Meade has also been associated with various noble families throughout British history. For instance, the Earls of Clanwilliam trace their lineage back to Sir John Meade (1615-1683), a prominent soldier and landowner in Ireland.

While the spelling "Meade" is the most common form of the surname today, variations such as "Mead," "Meed," and "Mede" have also been documented historically. Regardless of the spelling, the name continues to hold a strong connection to its Old English roots and its association with meadows and grasslands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meade

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Meade.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Meade was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Meade has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Meade was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Meade, please contact us.

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