Surname Meacham - Meaning and Origin

Exploring My Surname's Legacy with iGENEA DNA: A Personal Journey into the Meacham Heritage

Unfold the rich history of your lineage with the iGENEA DNA test. Discover the captivating origins of your surname and connect with family members globally through an extensive DNA database. Experience the fascinating fusion of tradition with technology in this worthwhile endeavor.

H. Meacham

Meacham: What does the surname Meacham mean?

Meacham is a surname of English origin derived from the Old English word meachen, meaning “little mouse”. Its variant spellings include Meachem, Mechem, Meachim, Mecham, and Mecheem. The Meacham surname likely originated as a nickname or toponymic name from places such as Mechen near Shaftesbury and Mecon near Cambridge.

The Meacham surname was one of the earliest English surnames to be adopted in the United States. The first immigrants of the family arrived to the New World in the 1600s. Early settlers include John Meacham, who arrived in Virginia in 1638 and settled in Albany, New York in 1645. Other notable bearers of the surname include exploring and mapping pioneer Captain John Meares and former Oklahoma governor Robert S. Kerr.

The Meacham or Mechem family remained close-knit, primarily in the regions of New England and the Mid-Atlantic States throughout the 1700s and 1800s. Today, it is a common surname in many U.S.-based English surname genealogical records. Throughout the centuries, the Meacham or Mechem surname has come to represent an American family with deep ancestral roots in the United States.

Meacham: Where does the name Meacham come from?

The last name Meacham is currently most common in the United States. According to surname distribution data from Forebears, Meacham is the 17,910th most common surname in America. It is much more commonly found in the South and Midwest, which is not surprising given the prevalence of British surnames in those regions.

Within the United States, Meacham is most common in Tennessee, where it is the 1,158th most common last name. Meacham is also relatively common in Mississippi, ranking 1,293rd most common there. Oklahoma, Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina and Texas are also quite popular for Meacham, although it’s not nearly as popular as it is in Tennessee.

States where Meacham is not common at all include New Jersey, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Kentucky, and Maine. Beyond the United States, Meacham is not particularly common, although it still appears in Jamaica, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Meacham

The surname Meacham has several variants, spellings, and related surnames. "Meacham" is a variant of "Mecham" which is in turn a variant of "Meecham". "Mecham" and "Meecham" are in turn derived from "Mitcham" and are found internationally, including in the US, Canada, England, and Scotland.

Variants of Meacham include Meecham, Mecham, Mitcham, Meechum, and Macheam. Spelling variants of Meacham may include Meecham, Mecham, Mechom, Meachom, Meechum, and Macheam, with variations of each of these.

Surnames related to Meacham are Mattam, Maatham, Matcham, Matchum, Matham, McCham, and McChamme. Additionally, McMeekin, Macmakin, and MacMekin are surnames that are variants of "MackMeacham" -- the combination of Mc or Mac ( a Gaelic prefix meaning "son of") with Meacham.

The surname Meacham is found in many places, including the US, Canada, England, Ireland, Scotland, and Australia, among other places. Variations, spellings, and related surnames are found internationally, but are most commonly found in the US.

Famous people with the name Meacham

• Robert Meacham: former American football wide receiver
• Jon Meacham: American presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize–winning author
• Elizabeth Meacham: members of the Wisconsin State Assembly
• Clark Meacham: American entrepreneur
• Ben Meacham: American soccer defender
• Bo Meacham: former offensive coordinator in the Arena Football League
• Roger Meacham: former politicians in the British House of Commons
• Leonard Meacham: American football player
• Jonathan Meacham: former American college football coach
• William Meacham: American philosopher and educational theorist
• Charlie Meacham: American basketball coaches
• Darin Meacham: former American professional baseball pitcher
• Robert Meacham: American legal scholar
• Christian Meacham: former member of the West Virginia House of Delegates
• Alex Meacham: former Democratic member of the Oklahoma State Senate.

Other surnames

MeachenMeacherMeachum