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Fred
As a heraldry fanatic (& pedant) can I please start with a plea not to use the term “crest”? The crest is the device that sits upon the helmet and is but a part of the whole coat of Arms. If you replace “crest” with “Arms” you’ll be on the money. ;-)
Pedantry aside, I have had a look for Meek arms amongst my, albeit limited, resources.
Scottish Arms
The Scottish Ordinary Vol. 1:
1680-7 Meik of Leidcassies: Argent a duck proper on a chief dancetty Gules a boar’s head couped between two cresecents of the first.
A System of Heraldry - Alexander Nisbet - Published 1722
Meek: Argent, a duck Proper and on a chief dancetty Gules a boar’s head couped Or between two crescents Argent
Patrick Meek of Leedcassie: Argent, a duck Proper and on a chief dancetty Gules a boar’s head couped between two crescents Argent
Alexander Michieson of Hill: Argent, a duck Proper and on a chief dancetty Gules a boar’s head couped Proper between two crescents Or
You have all the above on your web page. To identify the actual grantee you will probably have to contact the Lyon Court. I suggest you write to Mrs Elizabeth Roads, the Lyon Clerk, as she is extremely helpful. If you were to inspect the Register in person there is normally a fee payable – under £10 – however, a written enquiry might be cheaper or even free. (http://www.lyon-court.com)
English Arms
Burke’s General Armory (BGA) has;
Meek: Argent three water bougets Sable a chief of the last.
Meek: Gules three chevronels Argent.
Meeke (co. Essex) Gules a lion rampant Argent a bordure indendent Or.
This is more of a problem. Unless BGA quotes a specific name or “house” I tend to treat those entries that merely quote a surname with suspicion. From personal experience I know that even those Arms assigned to a particular family are not 100% reliable. Taking BGA at face value my ggg grandmother, a Taunton, was a heraldic heiress. Unfortunately the Arms quoted in BGA were not known by the College of Arms and so were not “lawful”.
The only entries for Meeks in the Grantees of Arms are changes of names from Meeke to another, probably by Royal Licence. I’ve also looked for Meek in the Heralds’ Visitations. The online search for Armigerous Ancestors (http://www.achievements.co.uk/services/arm/index.php) returns 4 Meeks all of whom were disclaimed – they had been claiming to be Esquires or Gentlemen without authority & had to promise not to do so again. The search also pulled up a Meyke of Kent but I have been unable to find any further information.
Papworth does note that the Arms ‘Gules three chevrons Argent’ have been used by quite a few families including “Meek, Meeke, Mikelley or Milkiliy”. However, these 4 were “coats incorrectly given in the printed Glover’s Ordinary, which have been copied into books of reference and probably used as actual coats.” The Harleian Society’s “Knights of Edward I” does record those Arms to Sir Robert de Melkeleye (Mikeleye) circa 1280/90.
Papworth also has “Gules a lion rampant Argent within a bordure indented Or” for Meeke, Essex and Sire Johan de Merk. The Harleian Society’s “Knights of Edward I” has a Sir John de Merk with the same Arms and that his heir was unknown.
I will rummage around amongst some other sources and let you know if anything concrete turns up.
Regards
Stephen
www.heraldry-online.org.uk
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