2000
#130,443
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Meeth
A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "boundary" or "border."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 120 Americans carry the last name Meeth. That puts it at #152,989 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,856,286 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meeth surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
120
1 in 2,856,286
Census rank
#152,989
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
105
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 105 bearers of the surname Meeth in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152989th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meeth, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meeth
The surname "MEETH" has its origins in England, with records dating back to the 13th century. The name is believed to have originated from the Old English words "mæð" or "mæth," which mean "measure" or "extent," possibly referring to a landholder or a person responsible for measuring land or crops.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, where a person named William Methe is mentioned. The Hundred Rolls were a series of administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I, providing valuable insights into the surnames and occupations of individuals living in various counties across England.
In the 14th century, the name appeared in the form "Methe" in the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire, a collection of tax records from 1327. These records offer glimpses into the lives of taxpayers and their respective occupations during that period. The name "Methe" might have been associated with individuals involved in measuring or surveying activities.
The Domesday Book, a remarkable survey of landowners and properties compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror, does not contain any direct references to the surname "MEETH." However, it is possible that the name's origins can be traced back to the occupations or locations mentioned in this comprehensive record.
One notable individual bearing the surname "MEETH" was John Meeth, a wealthy merchant and landowner who lived in the late 15th century. Historical records indicate that he owned properties in various parts of Gloucestershire and played a significant role in the local community.
Another prominent figure with the surname was Richard Meeth, a renowned scholar and theologian who lived in the 16th century. Born in 1520, Meeth studied at the University of Oxford and later became a respected figure in the Church of England, contributing to the theological debates of his time.
In the 17th century, the name "MEETH" can be found in various records, including parish registers and court documents. One such individual was William Meeth, a farmer from Oxfordshire, who was involved in a legal dispute over land ownership in 1635.
The name "MEETH" has also been associated with various place names across England, such as Meeth in Devon, which was recorded as "Methe" in the Domesday Book. This connection suggests that the surname may have derived from a specific location or area where individuals were involved in measuring or surveying activities.
Throughout its history, the surname "MEETH" has undergone various spelling variations, including "Methe," "Meethe," and "Meeth." These variations reflect the evolution of language and the influence of regional dialects on the spelling and pronunciation of surnames over time.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meeth
Among Census respondents with the surname Meeth, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Meeth bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Meeth surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.5% · 94
- Two or more races9.5% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meeth
Meeth appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#133,863
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
+6 bearers (+5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 3,420 places
2020
#152,989
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 105
-21 bearers (-16.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,126 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #130,443 | 120 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #133,863 | 126 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.0%) | Down 3,420 places |
| 2020 | #152,989 | 105 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-16.7%) | Down 19,126 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Meeth surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #133,863 | #152,989 | -14.3% |
| Count | 126 | 105 | -16.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -12.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meeth bearers went from 126 to 105 (-16.7% change). The surname moved down 19,126 positions in the national ranking, going from #133,863 to #152,989.
FAQ
Meeth surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meeth?
Name Census estimates that about 120 living Americans carry the surname Meeth. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,856,286 residents.
How common is Meeth?
Meeth ranks #152,989 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 105 people with the surname Meeth. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (120), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Meeth.
Has Meeth become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meeth went from 126 recorded bearers to 105. That is a decrease of 21 (-16.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #133,863 to #152,989.
What does the Census say about the background of Meeth?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meeth, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.5%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (9.5%) and American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Meeth in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.5% (94 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meeth appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.5%), Two or More Races (9.5%), American Indian/Alaska Native (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Meeth (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Meeth mean?
A surname derived from a Middle English word meaning "boundary" or "border." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Meeth (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Meeth?
See how many people have the last name Meeth on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.