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

Meriweather, 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 Meriweather surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meriweather in America

Meriweather is the 27678th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meriweather surname appeared 869 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 Meriweather.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meriweather 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 Meriweather

The surname Meriweather is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the late medieval period. It is a locational name, derived from a place called Mereworth or Merworth in Kent, England. The name is a combination of the Old English words "mere," meaning a lake or pool, and "worth," meaning an enclosed settlement or homestead.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296, where it appears as "de Merewurth." This spelling variation reflects the transition from Old English to Middle English during that time. The name also appears in the Feet of Fines for Kent in 1301 as "Merworth."

In the 14th century, the surname is documented in various records, including the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1332, where it appears as "Merewurth." The Pipe Rolls were financial records kept by the English Exchequer, indicating that individuals bearing this surname held properties or paid taxes in the region.

One notable historical figure with the surname Meriweather was Sir William Meriweather, who lived in the late 15th and early 16th centuries. He served as the High Sheriff of Kent in 1495 and was a member of the influential Meriweather family from Kent.

Another prominent individual was Thomas Meriweather, born around 1540 in Hartfield, Sussex. He was a landowner and is mentioned in the Feet of Fines for Sussex in 1573, demonstrating the family's continued presence in the area.

In the 17th century, the Meriweather surname gained recognition through the exploits of John Meriweather (1620-1677), an English colonist who settled in Virginia. He was a prominent figure in the early days of the Virginia Colony and served as a member of the House of Burgesses, representing Charles City County.

Across the Atlantic, the name also appeared in New England, with Samuel Meriweather (1631-1684) being one of the earliest recorded bearers of the surname in Massachusetts. He was a landowner and is mentioned in the records of the town of Marblehead.

Throughout the 18th century, the Meriweather family continued to thrive in both England and the American colonies. Notable individuals include William Meriweather (1705-1765), a merchant and landowner in Williamsburg, Virginia, and Francis Meriweather (1735-1793), who served as a colonel in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

These examples illustrate the rich history and geographical spread of the Meriweather surname, tracing its journey from its English origins to its establishment in the American colonies and beyond.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meriweather

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

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

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

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