Meeker History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

While many Irish names are familiar, their past incarnations are often shrouded in mystery, reflecting the ancient Gaelic heritage of their bearers. The original Gaelic form of the name Meeker is Ó Meachair, derived from the word "michair," which means "hospitable" or "kindly." 1

Early Origins of the Meeker family

The surname Meeker was first found in County Tipperary (Irish: Thiobraid Árann), established in the 13th century in South-central Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they traditionally belong to the barony of Ikerrin. The family has retained this area as their homestead as over 50% of them come from here. 2

"The O'Meaghers were formerly powerful Chiefs possessing the Barony of Ikerrin, in County Tipperary, of which O'Meagher was Lord. The Meaghers or Mahers are principally found in County Tipperary at present." 3

Early History of the Meeker family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Meeker research. Another 119 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1172, 1551, 1635 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Meeker History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meeker Spelling Variations

One name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer because one must realize that attempting to record a Gaelic name in English is a daunting task at the best of times. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origin of the Meeker family name include Maher, O'Meagher, Meagher, O'Maher, Mahir and others.

Early Notables of the Meeker family

More information is included under the topic Early Meeker Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Meeker Ranking

In the United States, the name Meeker is the 3,764^th most popular surname with an estimated 7,461 people with that name. 4

Meeker migration to the United States +

The 18th and 19th centuries saw many Irish families immigrate to North America in search of land and opportunities. The largest influx of Irish immigrants to the United States and British North America came during the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine laid waste to their homeland. Hundreds of thousands left the island in an attempt to escape the starvation and disease it brought. Although the arrival of such a large number of destitute Irish was not welcomed by the established population in the United States and what would become known as Canada at the time, these Irish were an essential element to the rapid development of these growing industrial nations. They filled the demand for the cheap labor needed for the work in factories and in the construction of bridges, roads, canals, and railways. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many immigrants bearing the name of Meeker or one of its variants:

Meeker Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Robert Meeker, who arrived in New Haven, Connecticut in 1651 5

Meeker Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Franz Meeker, who arrived in America in 1783 5

Meeker Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Henry Meeker, who landed in New York in 1834 5
G Meeker, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5
W Meeker, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5
G D Meeker, who landed in San Francisco, California in 1851 5
William Meeker, who arrived in Indiana in 1852 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Meeker (post 1700) +

Mary Nacol Meeker Ed.D., (1921-2003), American educational psychologist and entrepreneur
Arthur Meeker Jr. (1902-1971), American novelist and journalist
Joseph Rusling Meeker (1827-1887), American landscape painter
Bradley R. Meeker, American associate justice of the Territorial Court from 1849 to 1853, eponym of Meeker County, Minnesota
Samuel Meeker (1763-1831), American merchant businessman who developed banking, shipping, and insurance systems in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Theresa Ann Lenora Meeker (b. 1986), American actress and model
Edward Meeker (1874-1937), American US singer and performer, best known for his appearances on the early recordings of Thomas Edison
Royal Meeker (1873-1953), American economist, Commissioner of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (1913-1920)
Charles Roy Meeker (1900-1929), American Major League Baseball pitcher, active 1923 through 1926
Josephine Meeker (1857-1882), American teacher and physician at the White River Indian Agency in Colorado Territory, daughter of Nathaniel Meeker
... (Another 29 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

The Meeker 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: In periculis audax
Motto Translation: Bold in danger

Citations +

MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
Matheson, Robert E., Special Report on Surnames in Ireland with Notes as to Numeric Strength, Derivation, Ethnology, and Distribution. Dublin: Alexander Thom & Co., 1894. Print
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
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)