Recorded as Makins, Makings, Meekin, Meekins, Meakins, Meakings, and others this is an English surname. It has two possible origins. Firstly, it may derive from May-kin, a diminutive form of the male given name Mayhew or Matthew, from the Hebrew Matityahu meaning "gift of God". As an example Maikin de Eylesburi was noted in the register of St. Bartholomew's Hospital, city of London, and dated 1213 - 1223, whilst Henry Maykin appears in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire in 1273. The second possibility is that the surname althou7gh applied to a male, derives from the Middle English word "maide, meaning a girl or young woman of marriageable age, with the addition of the diminutive suffix "kin" to imply "son of". Early examples of the surname from this source include Robert Maidekyn of Kent in 1327, and Jeva Maydekyng of Cambridgeshire in the same year. Recordings from London Church Registers include the christening of Robart, son of Samuel Meekins, at St. Botolph, Bishopsgate, on March 27th 1590, and the christening of William John Meekings, at St. Mary, Whitechapel, in March 1777. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John Mekyns, which was dated August 24th 1549, christened at St. Michael's, Cornhill, London, during the reign of King Edward V1, known as "The Boy King", 1547 - 1553. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.