Mees History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland

Mees is a name of ancient Norman origin. It arrived in England with the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mees family lived in Staffordshire. The surname Mees can be traced to Cold Meece, a village near Swynnerton or the Meece River in Staffordshire. Likely the original bearer lived by the River Meece. 1

The River Meese, in Shropshire, England may be another starting point for this family.

Early Origins of the Mees family

The surname Mees was first found in Staffordshire where they held a family seat. The name is associated with the village of Mill Meece, which was recorded in the Domesday Book, 2 a census of England taken by King William in the year 1086. Robert Miee was registered in Normandy in 1198. In England, the first recorded ancestor was Richard del Mes (also recorded as Richard Mey,) who was registered in Staffordshire in 1276. 1

Early History of the Mees family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mees research. Another 109 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1608, 1642 and 1691 are included under the topic Early Mees History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mees Spelling Variations

Endless spelling variations are a prevailing characteristic of Norman surnames. Old and Middle English lacked any definite spelling rules, and the introduction of Norman French added an unfamiliar ingredient to the English linguistic stew. French and Latin, the languages of the court, also influenced spellings. Finally, Medieval scribes generally spelled words according to how they sounded, so one person was often referred to by different spellings in different documents. The name has been spelled Meese, Meece, Mees, Mey and others.

Early Notables of the Mees family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Henry Meese of Lancashire

Migration of the Mees family to Ireland

Some of the Mees family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mees migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious persecution within England at the time, many English families left for the various British colonies abroad. The voyage was extremely difficult, though, and the cramped, dank ships caused many to arrive in the New World diseased and starving. But for those who made it, the trip was most often worth it. Many of the families who arrived went on to make valuable contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families reveals a number of immigrants bearing the name Mees or a variant listed above:

Mees Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

William Mees, who settled in Virginia in 1659

Mees Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Mees, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1761 3

Mees Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Thomas Mees, who settled in Pennsylvania in 1804
John Mees, who arrived in Ohio in 1850 3
William Mees, who landed in St Clair County, Illinois in 1856 3
Joseph Mees, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1866 3

Citations +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)