Surname Meadus - Meaning and Origin
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Meadus: What does the surname Meadus mean?
The last name Meadus is of English origin and may derive from both Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse elements. It most likely originated as either a topographical surname that was given to someone who lived in meadows or pastures, or as a patronymic surname that is derived from the given name ‘Mead’.
The name ‘Mead’ derived from an Anglo-Saxon word meaning ‘field’ itself probably derived from the Old Norse name ‘Mati’ which was derived from an Old Norse word meaning the same. The name ‘Meadus’ may therefore mean ‘Mead’s field’, or ‘son of Mead’.
The name is mostly present in the British Isles, and in particular the South of England, and has been spelled in many different ways, including the spelling ‘Meadows’. As such, the name can be seen as a throwback to the Anglo-Saxon and Norse roots of the British Isles, representing a small reminder of its past.
Order DNA origin analysisMeadus: Where does the name Meadus come from?
The last name Meadus is most commonly associated with three countries: the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom.
In the United States, the last name Meadus is most prevalent in Pennsylvania, where it ranks as the 516th most common surname. In Canada, it is most commonly found in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, where it ranks 385th in popularity. In the United Kingdom, Meadus is not as common, but is most concentrated in counties such as Suffolk and Essex where it ranks 1,999th and 4,023rd respectively.
Other parts of the world where the name Meadus is associated include the Caribbean island of Trinidad and Tobago where it ranks 909th. Furthermore, records of the surname Meadus have been discovered in Australia, Argentina, Europe, India, and even the Middle East.
Analysis of the Meadus surname reveals that it likely originates from either the Middle English word ‘mede’, which means ‘meadow’, or from the Old Norse Occupational surname for a steward or overseer.
Variations of the surname Meadus
Meadus is a surname of English origin, typically derived from a nickname or location name. Variants of Meadus include Medus, Meeds, Meddows, Medoes, Meddus, Mead, Meads, Meddis, Meddiss, Medose, Meddice, Meddick, Meddix, Meddowse, Meddice, Meddowses, and Medseys.
While Meadus is primarily an English surname, it is also used in some parts of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales. It is most commonly found in Scotland and Ireland, although it can be found in Wales and England, too.
Meadus is derived from the Old English or Anglo-Saxon word "medd", which means "meadow". It is believed to have been originally a locational surname given to someone who lived in or near a meadow. The suffix "-us" is a Latinized form of "son of", which means the surname was passed down from the father to the son. The original form of the surname was probably Medhus or Medeus.
Over time, more spellings of the surname developed due to the vagaries of phonetic spelling and the popularity of surnames or given names with similar sounds. This is typical of other names such as Reid, Reade, Reed or Reidy. All of these names are derived from the same root, but are varied spellings of the same surname.
Today, the most common variants of Meadus are Medus, Meeds, Meddows, and Medoes. The rarer variants such as Medduss, Meddick, Meddowses, and Medseys may still be found in certain countries.
Famous people with the name Meadus
- Chris Meadus: Professional Footballer from Canada who plays for FC Cincinnati of Major League Soccer.
- David Meadus: Professional Footballer from Canada who plays for Forge FC of the Canadian Premier League.
- Lucius Meadus: Former American Footballer and professional wrestling manager of the World Wide Wrestling Federation.
- Warren Meadus: Renowned Canadian actor and Broadway theatre director.
- Tina Meadus: Canadian actress and television personality.
- Stephen Meadus: British actor and musician who appeared in the BBC TV series ‘This Life’.
- Flossie Meadus: British writer and producer, best known for the film ‘A Tale of Two Cities’.
- Jonathan Meadus: Canadian film, television and stage director.
- Vashti Meadus Lazarus: Canadian actor and comedian, best known for her roles in the popular CBC show ‘This Hour Has 22 Minutes’.
- Austin Meadus: American professional skateboarder, best known for his videos which have been featured on the website 'Thrasher.'