Surname Meschenich - Meaning and Origin
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Meschenich: What does the surname Meschenich mean?
The last name Meschenich is believed to be of German origin and is derived from the given name Meschenich, which is a combination of two separate words – meschen (Middle High German meaning ‘men or people’) and ich (German meaning ‘I, me, or myself’). This surname likely indicates that the original carrier and its descendants were smallholders or farmers.
This surname may have first appeared in northwestern Germany, in an area known as the Rhineland. This region, which is now a major part of modern-day Germany, was once part of the ancient kingdom of Franconia, which held the regions Burgundy and Bavaria. This makes it likely that the original family carrying this surname could be traced back to these two regions.
Today, the Meschenich surname appears across Europe, and is most commonly found in its original regions of Germany and the Netherlands, as well as in France and Belgium. Spelling variations of this surname can include Mescher, Meschenig, Meschenig, and Meschenich. It could also be found spelled as Meschenikh or Meshkhenikh in Russia and Ukraine.
The spelling of this last name may very well depend on the region in which it is found, and the culture of the area in which the family settled. Ultimately, the Meschenich surname is believed to be of German origin and is thought to have indicated that the original carrier and its descendants likely worked in smallholdings or in agriculture.
Order DNA origin analysisMeschenich: Where does the name Meschenich come from?
The last name Meschenich is most commonly found in Germany today. It is believed that the surname is German in origin and dates back to the 14th century. It was originally found in the Rhineland and the region of Westphalia as early as the 13th century and has since spread throughout the country. According to records, the family originally descended from Meschen who lived in the village of Rack, located near Hüllhorst, Germany.
The Meschenich family grew in popularity during the 18th and 19th centuries when the population of Germany increased considerably. During this period, family members settled in many places throughout the country, eventually extending their presence to the United States, Canada, and other areas of the world. Today the last name Meschenich is found throughout Germany, including such places as Cologne, Düsseldorf, Dortmund, Darmstadt, and Berlin. It may also be encountered in other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname Meschenich
The surname Meschenich is an Old German or Dutch topographic surname for someone who lives in or near a swamp or marsh in the low-lying area near water. The variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Meschinich, Meschichen, Messchenich, Meschingen, Meschboldt, and Messing.
Meschenich is derived from the German words mersche, which means swamp or marsh, and ich which is an ending used to indicate ownership. The original form of the surname is thought to be Merschenich, which became anglicized into Meschenich over the years.
Meschinich is an ancient German name for someone from an area near a swamp or marsh. It was most likely derived from the Middle High German word "Merescheniche," which roughly translates to means marshland. The earliest records of the surname date back to the 16th century, when a man named Conrad von der Merscheniche was recorded in the Scheda Familiaris of the city of Büren in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.
Meschichen is another variant of the same surname. This spelling is unique in that it is derived from a combination of the German words "Mereschenich" and the Dutch "Henneken." This name was adopted by some of the Dutch settlers who migrated to Germany during the 16th century.
Messchenich is another variation of the name, which is derived from the combination of the German "Mess" meaning marsh and "Chenich" meaning swamp. The earliest records of this version of the surname date back to 1550, when a man by the name of Johann Messchenich was recorded in the Sponheimisches Visitation Register in Cologne, Germany.
Meschingen is derived from the German word "Mereschenich" and the Latin suffix "gen," which translates to "dweller by." This particular version was first adopted by a family in Hainstadt, Germany in the 16th century.
Meschboldt is a variation of the same surname, derived from the German "Mereschenich" and the Latin term "Boldus," which translates to inhabitant. In 1595, a man named Eberhard Meschboldt was recorded in the Scheda Familiaris in Gerderath, Germany.
Finally, Messing is a variant of the surname that is derived from the combination of the German word "Mersch" meaning marsh or swamp and the Dutch "Ing," which was a term used to denote farmers or rural dwellers. The earliest recorded instance of this variation of the name is from a man named Johan Messchingen who was recorded in the Scheda Familiaris of Büren in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany in the 16th century.
Famous people with the name Meschenich
- Philipp Meschenich: German former sprint canoeist and gold medalist at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
- Frieder Meschenich: German freestyle skier and gold medalist at the 1968 Winter Olympics.
- Yannick Meschenich: French judo competitor and gold medalist at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
- Jakob Hubert Meschenich: German dressage rider and bronze medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Christian Meschenich: German paralympic swimmer and gold medalist at the 2016 Summer Paralympics.
- Maike Meschenich: German rower and silver medalist at the 2016 Summer Olympics.
- Dieter Meschenich: German marathon runner and bronze medalist at the 1972 Summer Olympics.
- Benedikt Meschenich: German ice hockey player and silver medalist at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
- Mathias Meschenich: German modern pentathlon competitor and gold medalist at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
- Pascal Meschenich: German alpine skier and bronze medalist at the 1984 Winter Olympics.