Contents [hide]

Meek History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Sources

Meek History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland-Alt
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Meek

What does the name Meek mean?

The surname Meek comes from the Old English word "meek," which means "humble" or "merciful." It is thought to derive from a nickname for a timid person. Nicknames form a broad and miscellaneous class of surnames, and can refer directly or indirectly to one's personality, physical attributes, mannerisms, or even their habits of dress.

Early Origins of the Meek family

The surname Meek was first found in Fife, 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 Scotland.

Early History of the Meek family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meek research. Another 68 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1680, 1797 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Meek History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meek Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Meek, Meeke, Meeks, Meik, Meech, Meach, Mekie and others.

Early Notables of the Meek family

Meek of Essex

Meek Ranking

the United States, the name Meek is the 2,600^th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Meek family to Ireland

Some of the Meek family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 76 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meek migration to the United States +

Meek Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Thomas Meek, who arrived in Maryland in 1663 3
John Meek, who arrived in Maryland in 1664 3

Meek Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

George Michal Meek, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1732 3
Johann Nicolaus Meek, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1750 3
Michael Meek, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1752 3
Robert Meek, who landed in America in 1765 3
Friedrich Meek, who landed in America in 1778 3

Meek Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Michel Meek, who landed in America in 1851 3
Georg Meek, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 3
Brice Meek, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1878 3

Meek migration to Canada +

Meek Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Miss. Catherine Meek, aged 2 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Jessie" departing from the port of Sligo, Ireland but died on Grosse Isle on 22nd May 1847 4

Meek migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia included the Second Fleet of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Second Fleet

Mr. William Meek, British settler convicted in Yorkshire, England in 1790, sentenced to 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the ship "Third Fleet" leaving in 1790 arriving in New South Wales, Australia in 1791 2

Following the Second Fleet, other convicts and early settlers arriving in Australia include:

Meek Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Joseph Meek, English convict from Wiltshire, who was transported aboard the "Andromeda" on November 13, 1832, settling in New South Wales, Australia 5
Mr. Richard Meek, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fairlie" on 14th October 1833, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
Mr. Thomas Meek, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barossa" on 8th December 1839, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
John Meek, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "City Of Adelaide" in 1839 8
Mr. Robinson Meek, English convict who was convicted in York, Yorkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Blundell" on 13th March 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) 9
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Meek migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Meek Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

H. Meek, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Harkaway" in 1858 10
Mr. Robert Meek, Scottish settler from Carnwath travelling from Glasgow aboard the ship "Storm Cloud" arriving in Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 27th April 1860 11
Edward Meek, aged 15, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
William Meek, aged 13, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
Alfred Meek, aged 11, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "La Hogue" in 1874
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Meek (post 1700) +

Carrie Mae Pittman Meek (1926-2021), American politician, member of the United States House of Representatives from 1993 to 2003, representing Florida's 17th congressional district
Barbara Anita Meek (1934-2015), American actress, best known for her role as Ellen Canby for three seasons on Archie Bunker's Place
Fielding Bradford Meek (1817-1876), American geologist and paleontologist
Bill Meek (1922-1998), American football coach
Fred Meek, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Kansas, 1956, 1964 12
Forrest B. Meek, American Republican politician, Candidate in primary for Michigan State Senate 36th District, 1966 13
Fannie L. Meek, American Republican politician, Candidate for Missouri State House of Representatives 10th District, 1966 13
Mrs. Charles Meek Jr., American Republican politician, Alternate Delegate to Republican National Convention from Missouri, 1956 13
Cecil Meek, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Tennessee, 1952 13
... (Another 17 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Meek family +

HMS Queen Charlotte

Mr. James Meek, British secretary's clerk who was aboard the ship "HMS Queen Charlotte" off the coast of Capraia, Italy when she caught fire on the 17th March 1800, survived as he was on shore at the time of the fire
Mrs. Anna "Annie" Louise Rowley Meek (d. 1912), aged 31, Welsh Third Class passenger from Penarth, Glamorgan who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 13

Sources +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
Convict Records of Australia. Retrieved 4th February 2021 from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships
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)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 47)
State Library of Queensland. (Retrieved 2014, November 27) Andromeda voyage to New South Wales, Australia in 1832 with 186 passengers. Retrieved from http://www.convictrecords.com.au/ships/andromeda/1832
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 21st September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 24th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barossa
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CITY OF ADELAIDE 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839CityOfAdelaide.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/blundell
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th December 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 4) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html