Origin

The name MEREDITH is an ancient Welsh surname. It comes from the given names Meredydd, Maredudd, and the old Welsh form Morgetiud and is derived from the name of an ancestor (for example: “the son of Meredith”).

The original spelling is said to be “Maredudd”, but was pronounced “Mahredeeth” The name is related to the Old Welsh word moriud which means sea warrior or see lord.

Early History

The earliest found use of Meredith as a surname was in Denbigshire, which is a historic county in Northeast Wales. It was recorded on a document related to the 1536 “Act of Union” between England and Wales.

This Meredith family held a family seat from very ancient times. Some say they held a seat from well before the Norman Conquest and arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 AD. A family seat was a principal manor of a medieval lord. This was usually an elegant country mansion and usually meant the that family held economic and political influences in the area.

Prominent Meredith’s before 1700:

Richard Meredith (sometimes Meredyth) was the Church of Ireland Bishop of Leighlin from 1589 to his death in 1597.

Sir William Meredith was the first Baronet of Leeds Abbey in Kent. He was born in 1603 in Wrexham, Denbighshire, Wales and passed away April 10, 1675 in Leeds Abbey, Kent, England.

Migration

Many people from Wales joined the migration to North America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in search of freedom, work, and land. Others with the Meredith surname migrated in large numbers to England, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.

Prevalence and Variations

Meredith is the 9,051st most prevalent surname on a worldwide basis, meaning that approximately 1 out of 116,420 people share this name. 53% of the people with the surname Meredith live in North America. This means that about 33,149 people or 1 out of 10,934 people in North America have the surname Meredith.

Compared to other countries, there are not nearly as many Welsh surnames, but they have a greater number of spelling variations. This is partially due to officials and scribes recording names as they sounded, as well as, many choosing to change their surnames slightly in order to signify their branch of the family, religious adherence, and/or patriotic affiliations.

Name variations include: Meredith, Meradith, Meredeth, Meridith, Meredydd.

Motto

The original Meredith motto (war cry or slogan) was “Heb Dduw heb ddim, a Duw a digon.” Translation: “Without God there is nothing.”

Our Meredith Line

Junor MEREDITH (spelling of first name is correct) was born about 1752 in Louisa County, Virginia and passed away about 1831 in Henry County, Virginia. He was the father of William MEREDITH, who was born in 1778 in Henry County, Virginia and passed away around 1830 also in Henry County, Virginia. He was the father of John Thomas MEREDITH, who was born October 3, 1806 in Virginia. He was the father of Henry MEREDITH , who was born in 1836 in Georgia and probably passed away June 22, 1865 in Caddo Gap Township, Montgomery County, Arkansas. He was the father of Sarah Elizabeth Jasmine Carter MEREDITH, who was born May 9, 1863 in Arkansas and passed away March 10, 1940 in Kansas City, Jackson County, Missouri. She was the mother of Mary Irene Saphronia Jasmine SMITH, who was born July 4, 1890 in Claremore, Rogers County, Oklahoma and passed away June 25, 1947 in Stockton, Cedar County, Missouri. She was the mother of my maternal grandma, Ruby Irene PORTER.