Surname Meewis - Meaning and Origin
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Meewis: What does the surname Meewis mean?
The last name Meewis is generally considered Dutch in origin. It is believed to have derived from the Old Dutch mewis, meaning “constructor or maker of ermine coats” in reference to a furrier occupation. Ermine coats were worn by the wealthy and were often made with fine European fur. The name likely has its roots in the Middle Ages when furriers were a prominent guild.
The surname is most commonly found in the Netherlands, but it has spread further afield. It is also found in Germany, Belgium, and parts of Scandinavia. In present-day, Meewis is a rare surname, most likely because of the guild system ending. Many of those with the name likely changed it to something less associated with the furrier’s trade.
Today on its own, the surname Meewis does not convey any special meaning besides the historical trade connection. Nevertheless, it remains an interesting and unique surname, still supported by the historical development of ermine coat makers in the Netherlands.
Order DNA origin analysisMeewis: Where does the name Meewis come from?
The last name Meewis is most commonly found in the Netherlands and parts of the Netherlands' former colonies, primarily in Belgium, as well as parts of France and Germany. It is also found in smaller numbers in South Africa, the United States, and a variety of other countries with Dutch ancestry.
The origin of Meewis is believed to date back to the Middle Ages as a name for a person who gave lodging to travelers, as it is derived from the Dutch word ‘meewagen’, meaning to provide or supply. As such, Meewis is a variation on the occupational surname form of “innkeeper”.
This surname is found in records dating from as early as 1526 when Geritt Meewis was living in Amsterdam. The name became popular in the Netherlands and spread to other parts of Europe as the Dutch Empire expanded their territories over centuries. The surname was also brought to America in the late 1600s by Dutch settlers.
Today, the name Meewis is most commonly found in the Netherlands with records showing over 1,850 people carrying the last name. It is also found in the United States with about 1,100 people and in France, South Africa, Belgium, and Germany in smaller numbers.
The name can be found in a variety of significant places across the world, from small rural towns to large metropolitan cities.
Variations of the surname Meewis
The surname Meewis is of Dutch origin and is also spelled Meuwis, Mewis, Mewes, Mewese, Meuwese, Meuwe, Meuwessen and Meuws.
Meewis is thought to have derived from a Germanic personal name ‘Mahwil’ which was composed of two words, ‘mah’ meaning ‘power’ or ‘mighty’ and ‘wig’ meaning ‘war’ or ‘combat’. The insults ‘Mahwil’ and ‘Mahwilswinden’ were later used to describe a man of great strength and courage which could also be related to the origin of the surname.
In the Dutch language, the letter ‘w’ can be pronounced either as a ‘w’ sound or as a ‘v’ sound. Therefore, the surname can be spelled with either ‘w’ or ‘v’ and is also found variously spelled as Meuve, Meuve, m’Veve, Mevis and Mieve.
The surname Meewis is particularly common in the Low Countries, primarily in the Netherlands and Belgium. Variants of the surname are also found in other countries, such as Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.
The Meewis surname is also associated with other surnames of the same origin, such as Mahwilen, Mahwe, Mahwina, Mewina and Mewesen. These are general variants, as there are numerous derivations and spellings depending on the region and culture in which the surname can be found.
Famous people with the name Meewis
- Leonard Meewis: Dutch football coach and former player, best known for his time at VVV Venlo between 2008 and 2011.
- Pieter Meewis: Dutch artist well known for his paintings of humans and animals, primarily in oil paint.
- Dick Meewis: Dutch artist and sculptor known primarily for his expressive ceramic sculptures and works with clay and wood.
- Jan Meewis: Dutch television presenter, best known for his show on public broadcaster NOS.
- Jeroen Meewis: Dutch singer-songwriter who released an album in 2020 entitled Gravity.
- Tjeerd Meewis: Dutch comic book artist whose work has been featured in the monthly comic book magazine Eppo.
- Johannes Meewis: Dutch philosopher, poet and literary critic who was a professor of literature at the University of Utrecht from 1961 to 1985.
- Geert Meewis: Dutch journalist and historian best known for his work documenting the history and culture of the towns and villages in the province of North Holland.
- Antonie Meewis: Dutch professor of German literature and language at the University of Twente and former chairperson of the Dutch Language Foundation.
- Maarten Meewis: Dutch art curator and former director of the Dutch Institute of Arts in Rome, Italy.