Surname Meacher - Meaning and Origin

Meacher: What does the surname Meacher mean?

The last name Meacher comes from an Anglo-Norman French origin, first emerging in Cornwall, in southwestern England. As such, it is thought to have been derived from the French personal name Maître—which means ‘master’—, or sometimes even from the Old French mistrec, a variation on the same word.

Meacher has long been a fairly common last name in certain areas, such as in Cornwall and Devon in South West England. It is thought to have first been adopted as a name in the 12th century AD, and spread due to Norman invasions of Britain.

People with the surname Meacher today are widely spread across English-speaking countries, including the United States and Canada. The name itself carries a certain distinguished air, and is thought to be indicative of someone possessing authority or leadership—as was suggested by its French origin, indicating they were someone likely in a position of ‘master’ or higher.

The name has been assigned to various geographic locations, too, such as a hill and a reservoir in Gloucestershire, England, a hamlet in York, England, and a station on the Canadian Pacific Railway.

In the end, it is clear that the surname Meacher has a long, turning history that suggests a person of authority and leadership—qualities that seem to have kept the name alive all these centuries.

Meacher: Where does the name Meacher come from?

The last name Meacher is most commonly found in the United Kingdom. It is particularly common in the south-west of England, particularly in Wiltshire, Somerset and Gloucestershire. The 1881 census recorded around 3,500 people with the last name Meacher in England and Wales.

Meacher is an ancient English surname, believed to have been derived from a nickname for a man who lived in a meadow. It was also likely derived from a similar sounding word meaning 'mighty hunter', suggesting a surname of status or respect.

Meachers are also found in small numbers throughout the English-speaking world today. Some variants are seen in Germany, Canada, Australia, and the United States. In the United States, there are approximately 150 people registered with the last name Meacher, most of whom are descended from Meachers who migrated from England in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Meachers share a common ancestor of sorts with other names such as Mercher, Meachen, Ecort, Ecourt, Maker and Machen. These names likely originated in Britain from the same root.

Meacher is not an overly common surname today, but it still has an old-world charm. It is likely that hundreds of years ago it was an everyday sight on the streets of rural England.

Variations of the surname Meacher

The surname Meacher is a derivation of the German surname Meycher. The spelling Meacher is most commonly found in Britain and North America, and is thought to be a English variant of the German name. Other variant spellings of Meacher include Meycher, Meeches, Macy, Mathis, Macie, Mace and Maci.

The Meacher surname is believed to have originated with the German word "mäch" meaning "mayor" or "power". The earliest recorded ancestor of the Meacher family was found in the records of Silesia, Germany in 1326, under the name "Henricus Metscher".

Surnames that share the Meacher origin are those derived from the Macher, Machar, Macher, Macar, Maker, Maycher and Mayer. These names can also be seen in its traditional German spelling of "Meyer".

The Scottish Chisholm clan also thought to share the same origin with the surname Meacher according to some sources. The Chisholm name is believed to have originated either from a patronymic form of Mac, or from a place name in Normandy of the same name.

Meachers can often be seen in German records under the name Meycher or Meicer, however, in the Netherlands, the accepted spelling is "Maeser".

While the origin of the Meacher name is German, there are individuals with the surname living in other countries. In the United States the most common of the alternative spellings are Macy and Macie, and in Sweden the accepted spelling of the name is Mathis.

To sum up, the surname Meacher is a derivation of the German surname Meycher. It has many variants including Meycher, Meeches, Macy, Mathis, Macie, Mace and Maci. It shares the same origin with other surnames such as Macher, Machar, Macher, Macar, Maker, Maycher, Mayer, Chisholm, Maeser, and Mathis.

Famous people with the name Meacher

• Michael Meacher: Former Labour politician and Cabinet Minister who served as Member of Parliament from 1970 until 2015.
• David Meacher: CEO of Bowkid, a tech company striving to improve how kids learn through active engagement.
• Rachel Meacher: Artist whose work has been featured in exhibits all around the world and who has lectured at many of the leading universities.
• Bryan Meacher: Television producer and director, who has worked on the popular shows, MasterChef Australia, The Apprentice and The Voice Australia.
• Dr. Christopher Meacher: Academic and surgeon who has held numerous prestigious positions in academic medical centres and is an author of multiple published articles.
• Stephanie Meacher: Accomplished swimmer and world record holder, who has been a part of four Olympic teams and is the founder of the advocacy group Swim For Life.
• Arthur Meacher: Emmy Award-winning American actor and stand-up comedian, who has appeared in films such as A Fish Called Wanda and Beverly Hills Cop.
• Kyle Meacher: Medal-winning Paralympic swimmer who is an advocate for people with disabilities and is the co-chair of the Special Olympics Organization in Los Angeles.
• John Meacher: Award-winning contemporary sculptor, whose work is held in several notable public and private collections around the world.
• Rufina Meacher: Internationally renowned musical artist, who has performed in several countries and released several albums.

Other surnames

MeachamMeachenMeachum