MEAKIN

The surname Meakin is of English origin and appears to have developed in the British Isles during the early Middle Ages. Its earliest attestations, recorded in the early fourteenth century, point to usage in counties such as Cheshire and Derbyshire, where bearers of the name held numerous estates and were cited in a variety of legal and ecclesiastical documents.

According to philological research, the name derives from the Old English personal name Mægencynn, meaning “strength” or “power.” The suffix -ing was employed to indicate descent; therefore Meakin can be interpreted as “son of the powerful one.” In the Domesday Survey of 1086, a Roger de Meakin is recorded as a Saxon lord of the manor, confirming an early Anglo‑Saxon presence.

Other linguistic studies recognise Meakin as a diminutive form of the personal name May, itself a pet form of Matthew (from the Hebrew Mattityahu, “gift of God”). The surname also appears to have arisen as a nickname for a “little” maid, derived from Middle English maid(en) “girl, young woman” plus the diminutive suffix ‑kin.

The name existed in several early spellings, notably Meakin, Meaking, Makin, Meaken, and Meeking. The first documented instance of the surname is the 1318 record of Peter Maykyn in the Feet of Fines of Essex, under the reign of King Edward the First.

In parish registers, the name appears across a number of locations. Elizabeth Mekyne was christened on 12 September 1541 at St. Dionis Backchurch in London; George Meakin was recorded in a marriage at Tottenham on 30 June 1611; and John Meaken is listed as a famine emigrant who departed Liverpool aboard the Ceylon for New York on 1 June 1847.

Heraldic evidence for the family includes a coat of arms granted in 1575. The blazon depicts two gold lions on a black bend, with a greyhound’s head and neck couped at the shoulder, sable, and collared of the second. The lions signify courage and boldness while the greyhound conveys speed and strength, emphasising the martial symbolism associated with the name.

Beyond England, the surname has also been noted in Scotland (particularly in variants such as McEakin), Ireland (including Meehan and Meeks), and continental Europe. Today, Meakin is predominantly found in the United Kingdom, especially in Yorkshire and Lancashire, but also appears in France, Poland, Germany, Italy, Spain and in English‑speaking countries such as Canada, Australia and the United States. The contemporary population of individuals bearing the surname is estimated at around two thousand in the United Kingdom, with a larger diaspora abroad.

Typical given names associated with the Meakin surname

Male

• Andrew
• Anthony
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Paul
• Peter
• Robert
• Stephen

Female

• Alison
• Angela
• Christine
• Claire
• Donna
• Elizabeth
• Jennifer
• Linda
• Margaret
• Mary
• Samantha
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname Meakin in...

Braille

⠍⠑⠁⠅⠊⠝

Morse

--..--.-..-.

Semaphore

Did you know?

According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Meakin are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Bourbon.

Surname type: Diminutive

Origin: English

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: England

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: English

Famous people named Meakin

• Joan Meakin - First woman to cross the English Channel in a glider (1910 to 1977)
• Harry Meakin - Football player (1919 to 1)
• Peter Meakin - Australian news director
• Douglas Meakin - (1929 to 1998)

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.

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