Meaning & History
Meeuwissen is a Dutch surname, considered a variant of Meeuwsen. The name ultimately derives from the given name Meeuw, a Dutch short form of Bartholomeus, which corresponds to the English Bartholomew. The root name Bartholomew comes from the Aramaic meaning "son of Talmai," and its Greek form, Bartholomaios, appears in the New Testament as the name of one of the apostles, possibly Nathanael. Due to the popularity of Saint Bartholomew, the name became widespread in medieval Europe, giving rise to numerous patronymic surnames like Meeuwissen.
Meeuwissen translates literally to "son of Meeuw" (where -sen is a patronymic suffix), and the -issen ending is a common Dutch variant. Related forms include Meeuwes, Meeuwessen, Meeuwis, and Meeuwsen.
The surname is primarily found in the Netherlands, particularly in the southern provinces. It is not a common name globally but has a distinct regional distribution within Dutch-speaking areas.
- Meaning: Variant of Meeuwsen, derived from given name Meeuw (from Bartholomew)
- Origin: Dutch
- Type: Patronymic surname
- Usage regions: Netherlands