Surname Medaries - Meaning and Origin

Medaries: What does the surname Medaries mean?

The last name Medaries is of French origin. It is thought to have originated in the Pre-Medieval French region of Gascony, which is now a part of modern France. It is believed that the name Medaries is derived from the Old French word ‘mederai’, which means ‘woodland’ or ‘meadow’. Therefore, the name Medaries is believed to refer to someone who once lived in, or owned, woodland or meadow land.

In the modern world, the last name Medaries has survived in various forms throughout Europe, with its variants being found in France, England, Ireland, Scotland, and other countries. In some cases, the spelling has changed over the years, with Medaries often being spelled as Medaries, Meteria, Madara, Madarais and others. However, regardless of the spelling, all variants of Medaries share the same meaning of ‘woodland’ or ‘meadow’.

The surname Medaries is still in use in many countries in Europe and beyond, as well as in the United States of America. It is a testament to the longevity of this surname that people still carry it in the modern world, despite it being so closely linked with the culture of its French origin. As such, it can be seen as a link to the past – to a simpler time when life was much more closely intertwined with nature.

Medaries: Where does the name Medaries come from?

The last name Medaries is particularly common in the United States. According to the Social Security Administration, it ranks as the 8679th most common surname in the United States, and as the 1410th most commonly used surname among African Americans.

The Medaries family originated from a tribe of the same name, which was a branch of the larger Choctaw nation. Their original territory was in the Southeast United States, and included areas of what is now northwestern Alabama, southwestern Tennessee, and northeastern Mississippi. Native Americans with this surname primarily reside in nearby states, such as Louisiana, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Texas.

This family can also be found in parts of South America and the Caribbean, including Brazil, Colombia, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic. These Medaries families likely trace their ancestry back to the forced relocation of African-Americans during the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.

Today, there are several hundred thousand individuals living in the United States with the surname Medaries. In addition to these, there are also many African-American families whose roots stretch back to this ancient tribe. The largest concentrations of individuals with this surname tend to be found in the South and Midwest regions of the United States.

Variations of the surname Medaries

The surname Medaries can have a variety of spellings and like most surnames, it also has variants of the same origin. The name may spell Medaries, but is also commonly seen as Medaris, Mederis, Mederys, Médaris, Méderis, Médéris, Médérys and Médelis. All of the variants are the same general spelling with slight variations in pronunciation and spelling.

The surname Medaries is believed to have originated in France, from the word "meder" which is a form of the Old French "meddre" meaning to mingle. This occurs when two substances or elements are combined or incorporated with one another. This same component was used to refer to a golden or yellowish orange color. Hence, the name Medaries was likely given to someone who was of that same shade.

Medaries is also a common spelling of the surname Médard, of French origin. The name Médard is derived from the Latin name Medardus, which is a combination of med, meaning “fortunate,” and ard, meaning “brave.” This root origin is common among French names, where it has gained an additional meaning, hinting at the capabilities of the bearer.

The surname has also been found in other parts of the world, such as Hungary and Slovakia, where it is more commonly associated with Medarovics or Medarovicz. This is derived from the personal name Medar, believed to be a Hungarian form of the Latin name Remedius, meaning “healer,” which in turn was derived from the Latin term remedium, of the same meaning.

In England, the surname Medaries appears as Medders and Meddaris. The surname may have been present in the country since medieval times, and may even have been borne by the prominent knighting family of the Medaries, who were documented in the 11th century.

Thus, the surname Medaries can take various shapes and sizes depending on geography and history, and all ultimately stemming from the same French root.

Famous people with the name Medaries

• Andrew Medaries: American electronic music artist
• George Medaries: Late 18th century American Revolutionary War soldier and politician
• Absolom Medaries: Louisiana state representative from 1844 to 1846
• John Medaries Jr: Sergeant in the War of 1812
• Matthew Medaries: American Revolutionary War soldier
• Gaston Medaries: Vice admiral of the Confederate States Navy
• Francis Medaries: American militia leader during the War of 1812
• Augustus Medaries: American ship captain active in the Caribbean
• Richard Medaries: Early 19th century Louisiana state senator
• Sims Medaries: American industrialist best known for his contributions to the New South Movement of the late 19th century.

Other surnames

Medaris