Map of England showing where the Meakin arms are recorded
The Meakin arms were recorded in Worcester, c. 1620.
Worcestershire was orchard and farming country with a scattering of old manors. Its gentry were middling rather than great, but a manor was a manor, and holding one was what brought arms.
This is where the arms were entered in the register. Families often moved to other parts of the country, so the same name can turn up in more than one region.
The body that granted and recorded arms in England in this period.
James VI and I
Sovereign of the period
James VI and I
1603–1625
Reigning in England when the Meakin arms are first recorded.
How Arms Worked in England
English heraldry allowed arms to be shared by all legitimate descendants of the original owner. These symbols were treated as personal property that moved through the generations to all children. While the eldest son kept the original design, other family members could use the same shield without needing to change it or register their own unique versions.
Granting authority
The College of Arms in London has regulated the use of coats of arms throughout England and Wales since 1484.
How they got arms
Families typically obtained their coats of arms through a formal grant from the Crown or by proving their ancient right to them.
Where arms were recorded
All official coats of arms are recorded in the registers kept at the College of Arms, which date back to the fifteenth century.
The family's standing
Recorded among the armigerous families of Worcester.
Origin & History of the Meakin Family in England
The surname Meakin is rooted in the linguistic traditions of medieval England, originating as a diminutive form of the name Meak or Meek. In the Middle Ages, this name was often used as a descriptive nickname to identify someone who possessed a gentle or humble temperament. By the time the family was firmly established in Worcester in 1620, the name had become a permanent hereditary surname passed down through generations. During this period, families in the West Midlands were often involved in local trade and agriculture, contributing to the growth of the city as a regional hub. The presence of the Meakin name in early seventeenth-century records suggests that the family was well-settled in the area long before the English Civil War began to reshape the social landscape of the region.
Related Branches & Arms
Root word
Meke
A Middle English diminutive form of the name Michael.
This name
MeakinA patronymic surname meaning son of the little or humble Michael.
also spelled
Meaken
Meakyn
Related arms
Foresterrecorded with Meakin, same area
Fosterrecorded with Meakin, same area
David ap Griffithrecorded with Meakin, same area
Marlowrecorded with Meakin, same area
Documented Sources
Sir Bernard Burke, The General Armory of England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, London: Harrison & Sons, 1884
Reaney, P.H., A Dictionary of English Surnames, 1997
Bardsley, Charles Wareing, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames, 1901
Worcestershire Archive and Archaeology Service, Parish Registers of St Swithun, Worcester, 1620
Digital archive packCoat of arms PNG, gold border print PDF, vector SVG and the certificate of authenticity. Sent to your email in minutes.
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
chevronProtection, and faithful service completed
starThe celestial goddess, and nobility
wheatsheafPlenty, and the harvest of one's own labour
