MEADOWS
Meadows is a surname of English origin, deriving from the Middle English words mede or medwe, which denote a meadow or a grassy field. The name was originally topographical, applied to individuals who lived near or worked in such open land.
The earliest forms of the name were recorded as Meadows, Meddowes, and Medewes. Historical evidence shows that it was employed to describe people residing on grasslands, particularly those flooded in winter but used at other times for hay and pasture. The root of the name can be traced back to the pre-7th century maed, subsequently represented in Middle English as mede.
Topographical surnames such as Meadows are among the earliest created in English society, since both natural and man‑made features of the landscape provided easily recognisable distinguishing names for small communities in the Middle Ages. Early documentary references include a 1283 death duty tax charter in Derbyshire, where a Henry del Mudue is recorded, and a 1327 Subsidy Roll in Sussex, where a Richard atte Medeue appears.
Further medieval records show the surname in Worcestershire: the charter of 1280 lists a Henry de la Medewe, during the reign of King Edward I, who was known as “The Hammer of the Scots” from 1272 to 1307.
In the early modern period, several parish marriage registers provide evidence of the name’s diffusion. A 1618 Leeds marriage record lists Agnes Meadows and William Crofte; a 1624 London entry records Priscilla Meadows and Richard Guy; and a 1719 London register documents the marriage of John Lyle and Barbara Medowe at St Dionis Backchurch.
Over the centuries, Meadows has remained a fairly common surname within English‑speaking countries, often associated with ancestors who had close connections to rural or agricultural settings. Its persistence reflects the enduring nature of topographical naming conventions in English onomastics.
In contemporary usage, the surname continues to appear throughout the United Kingdom and in former British colonies, where the heritage of the name traces back to the simple yet enduring image of a meadow.
Typical given names associated with the Meadows surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
Female
- Alison
- Claire
- Elizabeth
- Gillian
- Helen
- Janet
- Karen
- Margaret
- Mary
- Nicola
- Patricia
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Meadow
- Meads
- Mead
- Meade
- Mede
- Madow
- Mades
- Meadowes
- Meadus
- Maddows
- Maddos
- Maddowes
- Maddow
- Maddus
- Madas
- Maddas
- Maddes
- Maddess
- Maddew
- Maddeys
- Maddies
- Maddis
- Maddiss
- Madew
- Madias
- Madis
- Madise
- Madiss
- Madoe
- Madoo
- Mads
- Maduzia
- Madzia
- Maides
- Maids
- Maites
- Maitz
- Maoudis
- Matas
- Matassa
- Mataz
- Mateas
- Matees
- Mateos
- Mates
- Mateus
- Mateusz
- Matias
- Maties
- Matis
- Matiz
- Matiza
- Matos
- Matous
- Matoussi
- Matozza
- Mats
- Matsa
- Matsi
- Matsui
- Matsuo
- Mattas
- Matteis
- Mattes
- Mattess
- Mattews
- Mattice
- Mattis
- Mattiussi
- Mattiuzzo
- Mattos
- Mattozzi
- Matts
- Mattus
- Matues
- Matus
- Matusa
- Matusz
- Matuz
- Matys
- Matz
- Matza
- Mauds
- Mautz
- Mawtus
- Maydew
- Maydoe
- Meaddows
- Meadeas
- Meades
- Meadon
- Meadons
- Meados
- Meadown
- Meates
- Meats
- Medas
- Meddes
- Meddess
- Meddis
- Meddow
- Meddowes
- Meddows
- Medds
- Medes
- Medice
- Medici
- Medo
- Medow
- Medowes
- Medows
- Medoza
- Medus
- Medza
- Medze
- Meedes
- Meeds
- Meets
- Metais
- Metias
- Metos
- Mets
- Metso
- Mettas
- Mettis
- Metts
- Metz
- Metze
- Meyts
- Middis
- Middows
- Midds
- Midzi
- Mietus
- Mietz
- Mitas
- Mites
- Mitsi
- Mitsui
- Mittas
- Mittaz
- Mittews
- Mitts
- Mitz
- Mitzi
- Moates
- Moats
- Modasia
- Modes
- Modessa
- Modise
- Modos
- Mods
- Moitysee
- Moods
- Moots
- Mootz
- Motas
- Motes
- Motis
- Motisi
- Motos
- Mots
- Motsi
- Mottais
- Mottaz
- Motts
- Mottus
- Motz
- Moutos
- Moutts
- Muds
- Mutasa
- Mutes
- Mutiso
- Muts
- Mutsau
- Mutts
- Mutz
- Madzou
- Meidus
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Meadows in...
Braille
⠍⠑⠁⠙⠕⠺⠎
Morse
--..--..---.--...
Semaphore
Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Meadows are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Custard Cream.
There are approximately 9,215 people named Meadows in the UK. That makes it roughly the 1,028th most common surname in Britain. Around 142 in a million people in Britain are named Meadows.
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Meadows
- Shane Meadows - Film director
- Jenny Meadows - Athletics competitor
- Stanley Meadows - Actor
- Jimmy Meadows - Football player and manager (1931 to 1994)
- Bernard Meadows - Artist (1915 to 2005)
- Jack Meadows - (1934 to 2016)
- Gavin Meadows - Swimmer, Olympic athlete, Commonwealth Games silver medallist
- James Joseph Meadows - Missionary in China (1835 to 1914)
- James Meadows - Professional rugby league football player
- Johnny Meadows -
- Bobby Meadows - Football player
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.