Meekin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

To escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, thousands of Irish left their homeland in the 19th century. These migrants typically settled in communities throughout the East Coast of North America, but also joined the wagon trains moving out to the Midwest. Ironically, when the American War of Independence began, many Irish settlers took the side of England, and at the war's conclusion moved north to Canada. These United Empire Loyalists, were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Other Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, however, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America and Australia. Many of those numbers, however, did not live through the long sea passage. These Irish settlers to North America were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Meekin or a variant listed above, including:

Meekin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

• William Meekin, who arrived in Maryland in 1667 3
• Andrew Meekin, who landed in Maryland in 1670 3

Meekin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

• Mary Meekin, aged 29, who immigrated to the United States from Batley, in 1897

Meekin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

• Ellen Meekin, aged 17, who landed in America, in 1901
• Kate Meekin, aged 40, who settled in America from Sheffield, in 1903
• Annie Meekin, aged 37, who immigrated to the United States from Belfast, Ireland, in 1907
• Annie Meekin, aged 25, who landed in America from Workington, England, in 1911
• Thomas Meekin, aged 23, who landed in America from Chorley, England, in 1914
• ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Meekin Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

• Mrs. Elizabeth Meekin, (Eliza), (b. 1804), aged 22, Irish silk winder who was convicted in County Mayo, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Brothers" on 3rd October 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, listed as having 1 child 4

• Buzzy Meekin, American bassist and vocalist in The Danny Joe Brown Band (1980-1982)
• George Jouett Meekin (1867-1944), American Major League Baseball pitcher who played from 1891 to 1900, Temple Cup winner (1894) and he led National League in winning percentage (1894)