In ancient
Anglo-Saxon England, the ancestors of the Meadus surname lived in or near a meadow. The surname Meadus is derived from the Old English words
mæd and
mædwe, which both mean
meadow. The surname Meadus 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.
Early Origins of the Meadus family
The surname Meadus 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]CITATION[CLOSE]
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Early History of the Meadus family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meadus research.
Another 90 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Meadus History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Meadus Spelling Variations
It is only in the last few hundred years that the English language has been standardized. For that reason, early
Anglo-Saxon surnames like Meadus 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 Meadus include: Meadowes, Meadows, Meadow, Meddows, Meddus, Meadus, Medus, Medis and many more.
Early Notables of the Meadus family (pre 1700)
More information is included under the topic Early Meadus Notables in all our
PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the Meadus family to Ireland
Some of the Meadus 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.
Migration of the Meadus family to the New World and Oceana
Some of the first settlers of this family name were:
Meadus Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
- Edmund Meadus of Poole, Dorset, settled in Newfoundland in the 1830's [2]CITATION[CLOSE]
Seary E.R., Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland, Montreal: McGill's-Queen's Universtity Press 1998 ISBN 0-7735-1782-0
Contemporary Notables of the name Meadus (post 1700)
- Eric Meadus (1931-1970), English artist; he exhibited in the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (1971), Southampton City Art Gallery (1996), Tudor House Museum, Southampton (1999)
The Meadus 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: Mea dos virtus
Motto Translation: Virtue is my dower.