McMeans History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the McMeans family in North America:

McMeans Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Mrs. C McMeans, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1855 4

• Willie McMeans, American Negro League pitcher who played in 11 games for the Chicago American Giants in 1945 and made five appearances on the mound
• Bruce McMeans (b. 1940), birth name Bruce Channel, an American singer and songwriter best known for his 1962 million-selling song, "Hey! Baby"
• Selden Allen McMeans (1806-1876), American physician and politician, State Treasurer of California (1854–1856)
• Lendrum McMeans (1859-1941), Canadian politician, Member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1910 to 1914, Senator of Canada (1917-1941)