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Mei Family History

Mei Name Meaning

Chinese: Mandarin form of the surname 梅 meaning ‘Chinese plum’: from the placename Huang Mei (黃梅) the name of a fief (located in present-day Hubei Province) which was given to the grandson of Mei Bo (梅伯 Earl of Mei) by King Wu of Zhou (c. 1087–1043 BC). When the name of the fiefdom was adopted as a surname it was shortened to Mei (梅). Dutch: variant of May . Italian: patronymic or plural form of Meo .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Wei, Fei, Pei, Meo, Meis, Mein, Meli, Sui, Lei, Qi

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Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

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Where is the Mei family from?

You can see how Mei families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mei family name was found in the USA, the UK, and Canada between 1880 and 1920. The most Mei families were found in USA in 1920. In 1880 there were 2 Mei families living in Michigan. This was about 40% of all the recorded Mei's in USA. Michigan and 1 other state had the highest population of Mei families in 1880.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mei surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Mei ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Laborer were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Mei. 34% of Mei men worked as a Laborer and 60% of Mei women worked as a Laborer. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mei were Butcher and Operator. .

View Census Data for Mei | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    34%
  • Bartender
    17%
  • Clerk
    17%
  • Butcher
    9%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    60%
  • Operator
    40%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Mei family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 2,000 census records available for the last name Mei. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mei census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Mei

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Mei. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Mei immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 5,000 military records available for the last name Mei. For the veterans among your Mei ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mei military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mei family history

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What is the average Mei lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Mei life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1976, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Mei in 1960 was 50, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mei

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Mei family tree

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