Surname Mevis - Meaning and Origin
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Mevis: What does the surname Mevis mean?
The last name Mevis originates from the Netherlands, and first appeared in official documents in the 12th century. It is believed to be a nickname given to a person who was strong and brave, derived from ‘maeve’, a Dutch and German word meaning powerful. Over time, the name developed into its current form, Mevis.
The Mevis surname may have been derived from a family of noble descent - one of the earliest known records of the name is from a Dutch noble family in the province of Limburg in the 12th century. The name is still prominent in the Netherlands and surrounding countries today and is sometimes spelled as Mevissen, Maevis and Mevius.
The Mevis name is also found in many countries throughout Europe, including Germany and Austria. In the United States and Canada, it is usually spelled as Mavis or Maves. It is an unusual name, which indicates the descendants of the Mevis family had a unique story that is worth exploring.
The Mevis name carries with it a sense of strength and character, qualities that generations of Mevis families have carried and admired. It is a reminder of their Dutch heritage, of their strong sense of identity and of the impressive stories of their family’s past.
Order DNA origin analysisMevis: Where does the name Mevis come from?
The last name Mevis is most commonly found in Germany today. Records suggest that the name first originated in the Rhineland-Palatinate state of Germany, and that it likely derives from mebus, an old German name for a high official of the court. Historical records suggest that the Mevis family was quite influential in and around the Palatinate region, with families bearing the name having held substantial properties, money and political influence in the area.
By the 19th century, however, several branches of the Mevis family had moved to other parts of Europe including France, Belgium and the Netherlands, along with some individual family members moving to the United States and Canada.
Given its place of origin, most Mevis families today are still found in Germany, with significant numbers also located in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. The family name has seen some drop in popularity in recent years, however, with records suggesting that its prevalence in Germany has decreased steadily over the past 25 years. Outside of its primary area of origin, Mevis is much less common, being present in only small numbers in the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and the United States.
Variations of the surname Mevis
The surname Mevis, also known as Mevys, Meviss, Mevysse, Meveis, Meveys, Meveysse, Meveus, Meveusse, is a Dutch and Flemish patronymic surname. Its origin lies in the Old Franconian name Mevo, meaning "son of Meva”, and evolved during the medieval period as people migrated to new parts of Europe.
The earliest known record in the Netherlands is found in the Stamboomkaarten van Oude Families, dating from the 1600s. The spelling Mevis is also found as early as the late 1800s in the Netherlands.
In the United States and Canada, the Mevis surname is commonly found among descendants of Dutch and Flemish immigrants. The 18th and 19th centuries saw many Dutch, Flemings, and Dutch-Flemish immigrants coming to North America, mostly to New York City and to Wisconsin, Michigan, and Iowa. Many simply Anglicized or Americanized their original surnames upon their arrival while others maintained the original form of the surname.
In the UK, the Mevis surname is usually found among descendants of Huguenots. Huguenot refugees began to enter the British Isles in the late 16th century during the Huguenot persecution in France. They also settled elsewhere in Europe, especially in the Netherlands. It is possible that the Mevis surname was brought to the UK by these Huguenot immigrants and was used interchangeably with other similar sounding names such as Mevys, Mevisse, Meveis and Meveys.
People with the Mevis surname can also be found in parts of Africa, especially South Africa where it is thought to have been adopted by Dutch settlers and mercenaries during the 19th century.
The Mevis surname can also be found in other parts of Europe, such as France, Germany, Switzerland, and other Germanic countries.
Famous people with the name Mevis
- Pieter Mevis, Dutch artist
- Kevin Mevis, Dutch soccer player
- Tijn Mevis, Dutch television presenter
- Koen Mevis, Dutch composer and singer
- Willem Mevis, Dutch publisher
- Samuel Mevis, Dutch sculptor
- Guus Mevis, Dutch journalist
- Paul Mevis, Dutch footballer
- Wendy Mevis, Dutch singer
- Robert Mevis, Dutch entrepreneur