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The ancestors of the name Meadowe date back to the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. The name is derived from when the Meadowe family lived in or near a meadow. The surname Meadowe is derived from the Old English words mæd and mædwe, which both mean meadow. The surname Meadowe belongs to the class of topographic surnames, which were given to people who resided near physical features such as hills, streams, churches, or types of trees.
The surname Meadowe was first found in Suffolk at Witnesham, a parish, in the union of Woodbridge, hundred of Carlford. "The family of Meadows, from a branch of which the present Earl Manvers is descended, have had a seat here since the time of Richard III." 1
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meadowe research. Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Meadowe History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early Anglo-Saxon surnames like Meadowe are characterized by many spelling variations. As the English language changed and incorporated elements of other European languages, even literate people changed the spelling of their names. The variations of the name Meadowe include: Meadowes, Meadows, Meadow, Meddows, Meddus, Meadus, Medus, Medis and many more.
Notables of the family at this time include
Many English families tired of political and religious strife left Britain for the new colonies in North America. Although the trip itself offered no relief - conditions on the ships were extremely cramped, and many travelers arrived diseased, starving, and destitute - these immigrants believed the opportunities that awaited them were worth the risks. Once in the colonies, many of the families did indeed prosper and, in turn, made significant contributions to the culture and economies of the growing colonies. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Meadowe or a variant listed above: Anne Meadowes settled with her husband in Virginia in 1684; Elizabeth Meadows and her husband settled in Annapolis in 1758; James and John Meadows settled in Philadelphia in 1860. Edmund Meadus of Poole, Dorset, settled in Newfoundland in the 1830's..