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

Meiggs, 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 Meiggs surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meiggs in America

Meiggs is the 74141st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meiggs surname appeared 261 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Meiggs.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meiggs 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 Meiggs

The surname MEIGGS is believed to have originated in England during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English words "mæg" or "mæge," which referred to a relative or kinsman. This suggests that the name may have initially been used to identify someone who was related to a prominent family or individual.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MEIGGS can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property ownership commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. The entry lists a landowner named "Meges" in the county of Gloucestershire.

During the 13th century, the name MEIGGS began to appear in various historical records and documents across England. In 1273, a man named John MEIGGS was recorded as a landowner in the village of Weston-under-Wetherley, Warwickshire.

By the 14th century, variations in the spelling of the name had emerged, including "Meygs," "Meigges," and "Meyges." These different spellings reflect the evolution of language and the inconsistencies in written records during that time period.

One notable figure with the surname MEIGGS was Sir Thomas MEIGGS (1550-1624), a prominent English merchant and landowner from Wiltshire. He served as a Member of Parliament and played a significant role in the development of trade and commerce in the region.

Another prominent individual with the MEIGGS surname was John MEIGGS (1765-1845), an English clergyman and author who served as the Vicar of Cottered in Hertfordshire. He is best known for his writings on theological and historical subjects.

In the 19th century, the MEIGGS name gained international recognition with the life and achievements of Henry MEIGGS (1811-1877), an American entrepreneur and engineer. He played a crucial role in the construction of railroads in South America, particularly in Peru and Chile, and is considered a pioneer in the development of transportation infrastructure in the region.

Other notable figures with the MEIGGS surname include Edward MEIGGS (1786-1861), a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars, and William MEIGGS (1802-1878), an English-born Australian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meiggs

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

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

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

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