HOW DO I PROVE THOMAS MEADS, b. 1595,Warwick, is son of William, b. 1579,Essex, son of Thomas, b. 1560, Essex?

Question

I HAVE TRIED TO TRACE MY FATHERS FROM NORTH CAROLINA TO THE OLDEST KNOWN GENERATION, WHICH IS THIRTY GENERATIONS, STARTING IN BRISTOL AROUND 1150, BUT THE ANCIENT NAME WAS 'ATTE MEDE', AND IT CHANGED TO MEDE AROUND 1500, AND THE FAMILY SEARCH TRACED SIR THOMAS MEDE OF SOMERSET TO THE SAME THOMAS MEDE WHO MOVED TO ESSEX AROUND 1500 AND HAD A SON THOMAS MEADE, NOTE THE SPELLING, AND THEN THOMAS MEADES, A GRANDSON, AND THEN WILLIAM MEADS, NOTE THE SPELLING CHANGE AGAIN, BORN IN ESSEX OR SNITTERFIELD, THAN ANOTHER THOMAS MEADS, BORN IN BISHOPS TACHSBROOK? MY RELATIVES SAY I MUST PROVE PROVE PROVE THIS IS REALLY MY LINEAGE BEFORE THEY BELIEVE WE WERE RELATED TO THE MEADS OF WARWICK WHO MOVED TO NORTH CAROLINA, WHO HAD MOVED FROM ESSEX EARLIER, AND HAD MOVED FROM SOMERSET EARLIER, AND MAY BE ONE OF THE OLDEST ATTE-MEDES OF BRISTOL, FROM THE 12TH CENTURY. HELP ME TO PROVE PROVE PROVE THIS, AS THEY SAY!! THANK YOU, FROM CHARLES MEADS JR, PROUD OF MY BRITISH HERITAGE, NOW LIVING IN MIAMI FL US

Answer 1

Have you looked online at Ancestry.co.uk. There is a section on Burkes Peerage and Baronetage. There are many mentions of Sir Thomas Mede.

The title of the section when you get into Ancestry which you want to look for is:

Burke's Peerage and Barontage Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary

If you come accross a link which says unknown, click on it and it will come up with the information.

There are many sections, both claimed and and unclaimed titles. It will take you quite some time good luck.

Answer 2

Firstly surnames changed over time as they were spoken and written down by people with different accents and one mistake in how it was heard or read and copied could change it for ever or just temporarily as not everyone could read or write.

Mead Surname Origin

(Locality). A meadow, a tract of low land; the sense is, extended or flat, depressed land.

Source: An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names With an Essay on their Derivation and Import; Arthur, William, M.A.; New York, NY: Sheldon, Blake, Bleeker & CO., 1857.

http://www.snitterfield.com/

http://www.bmsgh.org/parish/warw/tyaiw/b...

http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/Web/corpo...

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/eng/WAR/

http://www.essexcc.gov.uk/vip8/ecc/ECCWe...

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/archo...

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/searc...

This produces 49 entries

A search on Snitterfield got these:

http://www.a2a.org.uk/search/records.asp...

FILE - Stratford-upon-Avon - ref. ER 2/88, 89  - date: 15 October 1677

Contents

Lease (by way of settlement after the marriage of the undernamed Francis Evans and Elizabeth his wife) from William Evans, of Snitterfield, clerk, and Francis Evans, of the same, yeoman, to John Townsend of Warwick, gent., and George Harris, of Snitterfield, clerk, of the two messuages in Bridge Street (as above, 83, 84) now or late in the occupation of Robert Sharpe and Richard Hall between a tenement in the occupation of Michael Palmer on the east and a tenement in the occupation of Francis Cleaver on the west, for 500 years, to the use of William Evans, Francis Evans, and Elizabeth, daughter of John Meads, of Snitterfield, yeoman, and wife of Francis Evans, successively, for life, with remainder to the issue of the said Francis and Elizabeth and, in default, to the executors etc. of Francis Evans.

With the counterpart.

Witnesses: Edmund Page, Henry Yearwood, Ann Elkin, John Paxton.



item:  [no title] - ref. BRT8/202/57  - date: 26.4.1683

http://www.a2a.org.uk/search/records.asp...

Contents

Bonds of Indemnity, Person(s) Bound = John Waite, blacksmith; Robert Meades, Clifford Chambers, husbandman; Hugh Meades, Snitterfield, husbandman, In Respect of = John Waite, Occupation = Blacksmith, Amount = £40

FILE - [no title] - ref. DR 74/92  - date: 2 November 1665

http://www.a2a.org.uk/search/records.asp...

Contents

Feoffment from Thomas Washborne of Salwarpe, co. Worcs., yeoman, to John Perks of Bearley, yeoman, and Caleb Perks, his youngest son, for £160, of a fourth part of a messuage, two cottages and 1½ yardlands and also one third part of a fourth part of the said premises, in Snitterfield, late belonging to William Webb deceased and now in the tenures of William Meades, Joan Webbe, widow, Katherine Meades, widow, Hugh Meades and John Berry.

FILE - Honington Hall estate - ref. ER 3/2045  - date: 22 November 1759

http://www.a2a.org.uk/search/records.asp...

Contents

Copy of the will of William Meades of Ingon in the parish of Hampton Lucy, yeoman, whereby he devised to his nephew William Bradford of Ingon for his life his moiety of the tithes of Snitterfield with remainder to the first and other sons successively in tail male of William Bradford, with remainders over to the daughters of William Bradford, with ultimate remainders over in default of issue to John Bradford his kinsman, with a further legacy to his niece, Elizabeth Bradford, and bequeathing the residue of his personal estate, subject to payment of debts and legacies, to the said John Bradford whom he nominated his executor.

Witnesses: Dionysius Bradley, Humphrey Gibbons and Robert Wheler. Codicil, dated 15 November 1761, revoking residuary legacy to John Bradford and bequeathing to the said John Bradford £1,000 only, with a residuary gift to William Bradford whom he appoints his sole executor.

Witnesses: Dionysius Bradley and John Azelwood.

Proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, 14 January 1762. Attested, 29 June 1764, by William and Theo. Walford, clerks to Mr. Hunt.

That will get you started if you want more help please email me.

Answer 3

Mr. Mead you will have to make a trip back to England and keep going back in the Churches Archives!! Make a chart showing each time the name appeared different and what year this happened!! Only this way can you prove the heritage beyond a doubt!!! Good Luck!