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

Meeks, 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 Meeks surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meeks in America

Meeks is the 1202nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meeks surname appeared 29,457 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Meeks.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meeks 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 Meeks

The surname Meeks has its origins in England, dating back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be derived from the Old English word "meoc," which means "servant" or "attendant." This suggests that the name may have initially been given to individuals who held positions as servants or attendants in royal or noble households.

The earliest recorded instances of the Meeks surname can be found in various historical records, such as the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Meoc" and "Meocs." This valuable document, commissioned by William the Conqueror, provides a comprehensive record of landowners and their holdings throughout England at the time.

One notable figure associated with the Meeks surname was Richard Meeks (c. 1450-1505), an English churchman who served as the Bishop of Norwich from 1492 until his death. He was known for his involvement in the construction of Norwich Cathedral's cloisters and for his significant contributions to the city's religious and cultural life.

Another prominent individual bearing the Meeks surname was Sir Thomas Meeks (1551-1617), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for various constituencies during the reigns of Elizabeth I and James I. He was also renowned for his philanthropic efforts, having founded a school in Littleport, Cambridgeshire.

In the literary realm, John Meeks (1782-1856) was an English poet and writer who gained recognition for his works, including "The Beauties of Modern Poetry" and "Miscellaneous Poems." He was born in Nottingham and spent much of his life in the East Midlands region of England.

The Meeks surname has also been associated with various place names throughout England, such as Meeks Farm in Suffolk and Meeks Road in Hampshire. These place names may have originated from individuals bearing the Meeks surname who resided or owned land in those areas.

Another notable figure was Sir Robert Meeks (1608-1683), an English soldier and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Tregony, Cornwall, during the English Civil War. He was a staunch Royalist and played a significant role in the conflict, commanding a regiment of foot soldiers.

While the Meeks surname has its roots in England, it has since spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, the historical records and notable individuals mentioned above provide valuable insights into the origin and evolution of this surname within the English context.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meeks

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

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

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

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