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

Meese, 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 Meese surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meese in America

Meese is the 15409th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meese surname appeared 1,901 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 Meese.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meese 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 Meese

The surname Meese originated in Germany, specifically in the Rhineland region, during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Middle High German word "miese," which means "moss" or "mossy." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to a person who lived near a moss-covered area or a mossy place.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Meese can be found in the Codex Traditionum Ecclesiae Coloniensis, a medieval document from the Archdiocese of Cologne, dating back to the 11th century. This document contains references to individuals with the surname Meese, indicating that the name was already in use at that time.

In the 13th century, a notable figure named Johann Meese was recorded in the chronicles of the city of Cologne. He was a prominent merchant and member of the city council. This historical reference further solidifies the presence of the name Meese in the Rhineland region during the Middle Ages.

The surname Meese also appears in the Unterwalden Abbey records from the 14th century. These records document the names of individuals who were associated with the abbey, including monks, servants, and landowners. The presence of the name Meese in these records suggests that it was well-established in the region by that time.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Meese was Hans Meese, who lived in the town of Aachen in the late 15th century. He was a skilled craftsman and member of the local guild of blacksmiths. Another notable individual was Peter Meese, a theologian and professor at the University of Heidelberg, who lived from 1505 to 1578.

In the 16th century, the name Meese was also found in the records of the city of Mainz, where a family with this surname held a prominent position among the local nobility. One of their members, Johann Meese (1532-1597), was a respected magistrate and served as the mayor of Mainz.

As the name spread across Germany and neighboring regions, variations in spelling emerged, such as Mees, Mees, Miese, and Meese. These variations were often influenced by local dialects and pronunciation differences.

Other notable individuals with the surname Meese include:

1. Friedrich Meese (1801-1878), a German painter and lithographer known for his landscapes and architectural works.
2. Wilhelm Meese (1824-1901), a German politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Reichstag.
3. Anna Meese (1862-1945), a German writer and feminist activist who advocated for women's rights and education.
4. Heinrich Meese (1878-1964), a German architect and urban planner who designed several prominent buildings in Berlin and other German cities.
5. Johann Meese (1900-1982), a German philosopher and academic who taught at the University of Cologne and made significant contributions to the field of phenomenology.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meese

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!