He was born in Bergen as a son of sea captain Hartvig Segelcke Meidell (1834–1902) and Malin Gohde (1847–1895).

[1] In 1926 he was among the founders of the Norwegian Genealogical Society, together with Stian Herlofsen Finne-Grønn and Christopher Morgenstierne Munthe, among others.

[4] On the very same day, his brother was named as Minister of Church and Education in the Vidkun Quisling government that attempted a coup d'etat.

He was also a member of the board of the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History and Landslaget for By- og Bygdehistorie.

[6] In 1956, Meidell was decorated as a Knight, First Class of the Order of St. Olav and was awarded the King's Medal of Merit in gold.