Mei
Frequency: (975)
(number of times this surname appears in a sample database of 88.7 million names, representing one third of the 1997 US population)
1. Chinese 梅: from the name of an area called Mein during the Shang dynasty. Under the reign of the corrupt and cruel last king of the Shang dynasty, Zhou Xin (1154-1123 BC), a high counselor's position was occupied by the prince of the area of Mei. The prince of Mei was loyal but outspoken, and many times criticized his ruler's extravagant and dissolute behavior. This enraged the king, who executed the prince. The deceased's descendants subsequently adopted the place name Mei as their surname.
2. Dutch: variant of May.
3. Italian: from a patronymic or plural form of a short form of the personal names Bartolomeo, Romeo, or Tolomeo.
4. Italian: see Meo.
GIVEN NAMES: Chinese 44%. Hui (7), Jing (5), Wei (5), Hong (4), Feng (3), Guo Quan (3), Jianping (3), Liang (3), Mei (3), Qiao (3), Wen (3), Xiao (3), Min (2), Chang, Cho, Shen.
See the Key to the Dictionary or consult the General Introduction for further explanation.
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Copyrights:
Oxford Dictionary of Family Names
Dictionary of American Family Names. Copyright © 2006 Patrick Hanks. All rights reserved.
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Mentioned in
Shyu
(family name)
Mey
(family name)
Shiau
(family name)
The Worlds of Mei Lanfang
(2000 Music Film)
» More