2000
#122,534
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 130
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Meshaw
An Anglicized spelling variation of the French Mesheau surname referring to a resident near a meadow or field.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Meshaw. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meshaw 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
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Meshaw in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meshaw
The surname MESHAW is of English origin, with its roots traced back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have derived from an Old English word 'mæs', meaning 'meadow', combined with the suffix '-haw', meaning 'enclosure' or 'clearing'. This suggests that the name may have originally referred to someone who lived near a meadow clearing or enclosure.
The earliest known recorded spelling of the surname MESHAW can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Essex in 1195, where it appears as 'Meseho'. This ancient document, which recorded financial transactions, provides one of the earliest written records of the name's existence.
During the 13th century, the name appeared in various forms, including 'Meshawe' in the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire in 1273, and 'Meshagh' in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire in 1297. These variations in spelling were common during that time, as standardized spellings were not yet established.
In the 14th century, the surname MESHAW was well-established in various parts of England, with records showing its presence in Essex, Bedfordshire, and Yorkshire. One notable individual bearing this name was John Meshaw, who was mentioned in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in 1347.
The 16th century saw the emergence of several notable individuals with the MESHAW surname. One such person was William Meshaw, a landowner from Lincolnshire, who was recorded in the Lincolnshire Wills and Administrations between 1500 and 1599.
As time passed, the surname MESHAW continued to be represented in various parts of England. In the 17th century, records show a Thomas Meshaw, born in 1621 in Derbyshire, who was a prominent merchant and landowner. Another individual, Robert Meshaw, born in 1673 in Yorkshire, was a respected scholar and author.
In the 18th century, the MESHAW surname gained further prominence with the birth of James Meshaw (1735-1804), a renowned military officer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. His bravery and leadership earned him recognition and respect among his peers.
Throughout the 19th century, the MESHAW surname continued to be represented across various professions and walks of life. Notable individuals include Mary Anne Meshaw (1816-1891), a celebrated author and poet from Gloucestershire, and John William Meshaw (1845-1923), a prominent lawyer and judge in London.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meshaw
Among Census respondents with the surname Meshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Meshaw 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 Meshaw surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 111
- Hispanic or Latino1.7% · 2
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meshaw
Meshaw 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
#124,548
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 138
+8 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 2,014 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
-21 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 19,722 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #122,534 | 130 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #124,548 | 138 | 0.05 | +8 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 2,014 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | -21 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 19,722 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 Meshaw 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 | #124,548 | #144,270 | -15.8% |
| Count | 138 | 117 | -15.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.04 | -21.7% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meshaw bearers went from 138 to 117 (-15.2% change). The surname moved down 19,722 positions in the national ranking, going from #124,548 to #144,270.
FAQ
Meshaw surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meshaw?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Meshaw. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Meshaw?
Meshaw ranks #144,270 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 117 people with the surname Meshaw. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), 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 Meshaw.
Has Meshaw become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meshaw went from 138 recorded bearers to 117. That is a decrease of 21 (-15.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #124,548 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Meshaw?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meshaw, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (1.7%) and Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Meshaw in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (111 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meshaw appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Hispanic (1.7%), Two or More Races (1.7%). 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 Meshaw (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 Meshaw mean?
An Anglicized spelling variation of the French Mesheau surname referring to a resident near a meadow or field. 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 Meshaw (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 many people are called Meshaw?
See how many people are called Meshaw on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.