The Meredith surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 24,679 people carried this name — #1,445 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 23,937 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Meredith surname

A surname from Welsh [in turn originating as a patronymic].

From Welsh Maredudd (“great lord”).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Meredith» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As an English and Welsh surname

Bardsley classes it as a baptismal name, from a given name: ‘the son of Meredith’.

His entry covers Meredith and Meredyth.

From Charles W. Bardsley, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, with Special American Instances (London: Henry Frowde, 1901), p. 527 · public domain.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 7 births for the Meredith name in 1890.

Most were registered in Leinster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 300 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. 2 of them were indexed under other spellings of the name.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Leinster 3
Munster 2
Ulster 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Switzerland’s population statistics

29 people named Meredith live in Switzerland.

They live in 5 of Switzerland’s 26 cantons, most of all in Vaud.

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they live today

Vaud 9
Geneva 6
Aargau 5
Zurich 5
Valais 4

Swiss Federal Statistical Office (FSO), «Surnames of the permanent resident population by canton», 2025, opendata.swiss/en/dataset/nachnamen-der-standigen-wohnbevolkerung-nach-kanton3 · names with fewer than 3 bearers in a canton are not published.

Among the farmers of England and Wales, 1880s

Meredith was found among the farmers of 6 counties.

It was most frequent in Herefordshire: 61 in every 10,000 farmers there — about 1 in 164. Guppy counted the farmers listed in each county’s directory and recorded a name only where it reached about 7 in every 10,000; where it does not appear, it was rarer than that, not absent.

Where it concentrates, on the map

Per 10,000 farmers, by county

Herefordshire 61
Shropshire 30
Monmouthshire 26
Gloucestershire 18
South Wales 17
North Wales 15

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), alphabetical list of English and Welsh names — public domain · farmers in Kelly’s Post Office Directories of the 1880s, per 10,000 farmers in each county.

In the first U.S. census, 1790

58 families named Meredith, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 394 people lived in those households, 6.8 to a family on average. The table counts it together with 3 other spellings. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Maryland 20
Pennsylvania 16
North Carolina 12
Virginia 9
South Carolina 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 253 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

Meredith in American newspapers,
1876–1900.

Newspaper page from The Opelousas Courier carrying the name Meredith
The Opelousas Courier 1884-09-06
Newspaper page from New Orleans Republican carrying the name Meredith
New Orleans Republican 1876-02-13
Newspaper page from Missouri Valley Times carrying the name Meredith
Missouri Valley Times 1900-12-13

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 12,037 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Meredith in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2010s.

74,367 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Meredith. The most, 10,974, date from the 1900s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in Tasmania, at 3.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Tasmania 20,506
Victoria 18,747
New South Wales 18,143
Queensland 9,032
Western Australia 3,819
South Australia 3,652
ACT (Canberra) 288
Northern Territory 25

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Meredith.

Who carried it

People named Meredith,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Amos Meredith
    Amos Meredith 1688–1744
  • Mary Shirley, Countess Ferrers
    Mary Shirley, Countess Ferrers 1737–1807
  • William M. Meredith
    William M. Meredith 1799–1873 · lawyer
  • Solomon Meredith
    Solomon Meredith 1810–1875 · politician
  • Louisa Anne Meredith
    Louisa Anne Meredith 1812–1895 · photographer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 233 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Meredith,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States1,898 records

1,898 records of the Meredith name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 871
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 336
  • Other U.S. records 691
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Paul D. Meredith

    Born 1921 in Indiana. Enlisted 1942 at Los Angeles, California; aircraft worker. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 1999, buried at Blendon Cemetery, Westerville, Ohio.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Clyde Peyton Meredith

    Born 1947; from Deer Park, Texas. U.S. Army, radio operator; died in an accident 1970 in Kien Phong, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Julia Meredith

    Arrived at New York in 1851 aboard the Victoria from Dublin, aged 20; servant. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 1,898 records for Meredith in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,491 records

1,491 records of the Meredith name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 604
  • Tasmanian Names Index 416
  • Other Australian records 471
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Sarah Meredith

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Navarino, sailing from London in 1840. Native of Somerset. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1845. Married 1845 in Oatlands, Tasmania, aged 21.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record Richard Meredith

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Coromandel, sailing from Sheerness in 1838. Native of Cheshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record James Meredith

    Arrived in Queensland in 1889 aboard the Jumna, aged 23.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,491 records for Meredith in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom70 records

70 records of the Meredith name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 42
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 14
  • Other British records 14
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth Meredith

    Buried in 1963 at St Thomas Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 70.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record David Meredith

    Will proved in 1903; of Bettws-Y-Coed, Carnarvon.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record W. Meredith

    Lance Corporal, Tank Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 70 records for Meredith in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Canada62 records

62 records of the Meredith name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 24
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 12
  • Other Canadian records 26
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record David Meredith

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Mississippi, landing at Halifax, bound for Mount Forest, Ontario; English.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Walter James Meredith

    Buried in 1959 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 74.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record George Meredith

    Died 1999, aged 75; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.

Showing 3 of 62 records for Meredith in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0).

New Zealand28 records

28 records of the Meredith name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 18
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 9
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ueli Meredith

    Died 1999, aged 72; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dulcie Muriel Meredith

    Buried in 1967 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 66.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Edward Mark Meredith

    Died 1966, aged 58; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 28 records for Meredith in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands14 records

14 records of the Meredith name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 9
  • Dutch church registers before 1811 4
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Morris Meredith

    Married in 1676 in Utrecht.

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record John Meredith

    Married in 1695 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register George Meredith

    In the population register of Oudenbosch; born 1855 in Oudenbosch.

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 14 records for Meredith in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France4 records

4 records of the Meredith name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Marcel Auguste Frederic Meredith

    Born 1910 in Homécourt (Meurthe-et-Moselle); died 1983 in Saint-Quentin (Aisne).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Diana Meredith

    Born 1910 in Canada; died 1993 in Senlis (Oise).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 2 of 4 records for Meredith in France.

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Meredith.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Meredith is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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