Mee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:

England

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The distinguished surname Mee emerged among the industrious people of Flanders, which was an important trading partner and political ally of Britain during the Middle Ages. As a result of the frequent commercial intercourse between the Flemish and English nations, many Flemish migrants settled in Britain. In early times, people were known by only a single name. However, as the population grew and people traveled further afield, it became increasingly necessary to assume an additional name to differentiate between bearers of the same personal name. The manner in which hereditary surnames arose is interesting. Local surnames are derived from where the original bearer lived, was born, or held land. Flemish surnames of this type frequently are prefixed by de la or de le, which mean of the or from the. The Mee family originally lived in the settlement of My in Flanders.

Another source believes the name to be Norman as the Magni Rotuli Scaccarii Normanniae has two listings: Robert de Mieie, Normandy 1180-1195; and Robert Miee, 1198. 1

Yet another source theorizes the surname Mee may be a patronym derived from a pet form of the personal name Matthew.2

"I can only suggest that as May, Makin, and Maycock represented Matthew, and as Makin and Maycock are generally found as Meakin and Mcacock, so Mee may be also a variant of May. " 3

Early Origins of the Mee family

The surname Mee was first found in Nottingham where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Mee family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mee research. Another 131 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1608, 1613, 1615, 1642, 1691, 1775, 1790, 1791, 1851 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mee Spelling Variations

Flemish surnames are characterized by a large number of spelling variations. One reason for this is that medieval English lacked definite spelling rules. The spellings of surnames were also influenced by the official court languages, which were French and Latin. Names were rarely spelled consistently in medieval times. Scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to specific spelling rules, and people often had their names registered in several different forms throughout their lives. One of the greatest reasons for change is the linguistic uniqueness of the Flemish settlers in England, who spoke a language closely related to Dutch. The pronunciation and spelling of Flemish names were often altered to suit the tastes of English-speaking people. In many cases, the first, final, or middle syllables of surnames were eliminated. The name has been spelled Mee, Meigh, My, Myson and others.

Early Notables of the Mee family

Prominent in the family at this time was

Anne Mee (1775?-1851), English miniature painter, eldest child of John Foldsone, educated at Madame Pomier's school in Queen Square, Bloomsbury, where she gave early proofs of artistic talent. "She be...

Mee Ranking

In the United States, the name Mee is the 12,178^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 4

Migration of the Mee family to Ireland

Some of the Mee family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 50 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mee migration to the United States +

Amongst the settlers in North America with this distinguished name Mee were

Mee Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Georg Mee, who landed in Virginia in 1633 5
George Mee, who settled in Virginia in 1635
George Mee, who arrived in Maryland in 1651 5

Mee Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Esh Mee, who arrived in Virginia in 1701-1702 5
William Mee, who settled in Baltimore in 1775
John Mee, who arrived in Rye, NY in 1775 5

Mee Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

H C Mee, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5
James, John, Robert, and William Mee, who all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860
Michael Mee, who arrived in Mississippi in 1868 5

Mee migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mee Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss. Catherine Mee, aged 2 years & 6 months who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec but died on Grosse Isle on 19th May 1847 6

Mee migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mee Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Charles Mee, English convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. George Mee, English convict who was convicted in Suffolk, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Chapman" on 6th April 1824, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 7
Mr. Joseph Mee, English convict who was convicted in Leicester, Leicestershire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
Mr. Alexander Mee, English convict who was convicted in Lancaster, Lancashire, England for 10 years, transported aboard the "Eden" on 8th July 1840, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
Miss Jane Mee, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Elizabeth and Henry" on 11th February 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 10

Contemporary Notables of the name Mee (post 1700) +

Thomas William "Tommy" Mee (1890-1981), nicknamed "Judge", American Major League Baseball infielder for the St. Louis Browns in 1910
Charles L Mee (b. 1938), American playwright, historian and author, professor of theater at Columbia University
John J. Mee, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Rhode Island, 1916 11
James Mee, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate for Presidential Elector for South Dakota, 1912; Member of Democratic National Committee from South Dakota, 1920 11
Steven Mee (b. 1965), English former cricketer for Nottinghamshire (1983-1984)
George Wilfred "Georgie" Mee (1900-1978), nicknamed the Mighty Atom, an English professional footballer
Bertram "Bertie" Mee OBE (1918-2001), English football player and manager, younger brother of Georgie Mee
Margaret Ursula Mee MBE (1909-1988), English botanical artist
Arthur Henry Mee (1875-1943), English journalist and educator, best known for The Harmsworth Self-Educator, The Children's Encyclopædia, The Children's Newspaper, and The King's England
Michael Mee (b. 1985), Canadian ice dancer
... (Another 5 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Mee Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Benigno numine
Motto Translation: By Divine Providence.