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

Meekins, 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 Meekins surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meekins in America

Meekins is the 9692nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meekins surname appeared 3,347 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Meekins.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meekins 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 Meekins

The surname Meekins is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to be a locational surname, derived from a place name such as Meaking or Meeking. These place names likely come from the Old English words "mece" meaning "sword" and "ing" meaning "meadow" or "enclosure."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meekins dates back to 1273 in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, where a William de Mekinge is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls were a census-like survey conducted in England during the reign of King Edward I.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings such as Mekyng, Mekyn, and Mekynge in records from counties like Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex. These variations reflect the fluidity of surname spellings during that era.

The Meekins surname is not found in the famous Domesday Book of 1086, which recorded landowners and their holdings in England at the time of the Norman Conquest. However, its absence does not preclude the name's existence during that period, as many names were not recorded in that particular survey.

One notable historical figure with the surname Meekins was Thomas Meekins (1592-1675), an English clergyman and author who served as the rector of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk.

Another individual of note was John Meekins (1661-1736), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Lincolnshire. He was involved in the wool trade and amassed a considerable fortune, allowing him to purchase several estates in the region.

In the 18th century, a man named William Meekins (1726-1795) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker and instrument maker based in London. His timepieces were highly regarded and can be found in various museums and private collections today.

Moving into the 19th century, a notable individual with the Meekins surname was Elizabeth Meekins (1807-1888), a pioneering educator in the United States. She founded one of the first schools for African American children in the state of Ohio.

Finally, in the early 20th century, Henry Meekins (1885-1968) was a renowned architect from Yorkshire, England. He designed several notable buildings, including the Huddersfield Town Hall, which is considered one of his most significant works.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meekins

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

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 Meekins 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 Meekins 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 Meekins was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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