Mikell History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Mikell family originally lived in the town of Mitcham in the county of Surrey, England before moving north to Scotland, and taking this name with them. In Scotland, as hereditary surnames were adopted during the late Middle Ages, names derived from localities became increasingly widespread. Local names sometimes denoted the proprietorship of the village or estate. Alternatively the name was derived from the personal name Michael, meaning "who is like God" and influenced by the Norman French to Michel and later to Mitchell. The Gaelic form of the name was MacgilleMichael. 1

Crossmichael is a parish, in the stewartry of Kirkcudbright. "This place, which is of remote antiquity, derives its name, in old documents Corse-Michael, from the dedication of its church, which was granted to the abbey of Sweetheart, in the year 1275, by Dervorgille, wife of Allan, Lord of Galloway, and mother of John Baliol, King of Scotland. " 2

Early Origins of the Mikell family

The surname Mikell was first found in Surrey. Although the records are vague, it is most likely that this name moved north from Durham or Yorkshire around 1130 and were one of the many families invited north by King David of Scotland when he ascended the throne. Significantly, John Michelsone had a safe conduct passage to England to conduct trading south of the border in 1395.

Meanwhile, William Michelsone held his estates in Innerkethin Scotland. The Latinization of this name at this time was Michaelis and many of the individuals are recorded in charters under this name. John Michaelis of Brechin was the rector of that place in 1464. "Robert Michael de Hyrmanston was a charter witness in 1438, John Michell had a remission granted him in 1489 for his part in holding Dumbarton Castle against the king, and John Mitsell held a land in Glasgow in 1496." 1

Early History of the Mikell family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mikell research. Another 124 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1433, 1463, 1465, 1474, 1591, 1600, 1642, 1646, 1662, 1663, 1699, 1702, 1710 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mikell History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mikell Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Mitchell, Michel, Michell, Mitchill, Mychell, Mitcham and many more.

Early Notables of the Mikell family

Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mikell Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mikell Ranking

In the United States, the name Mikell is the 8,904^th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Mikell family to Ireland

Some of the Mikell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 79 words (6 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mikell migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mikell Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Henrietta C. Mikell, aged 38, who immigrated to Atlanta, Pennsylvania, in 1920
William Mikell, aged 28, who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1923

Contemporary Notables of the name Mikell (post 1700) +

Henry Judah Mikell (1866-1942), American 2nd bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Atlanta
George Mikell (1930-1961), born Jurgis Mikelaitis, American actor and writer, best known for his performances in The Guns of Navarone (1961) and The Great Escape (1963)
Quintin Perry Mikell (b. 1980), American football safety for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League
Mikell Randolph "Mike" Ballou (b. 1947), American NFL linebacker who played for the Boston Patriots in 1970

The Mikell Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Favente Deo supero
Motto Translation: By God’s favour I conquer.

Citations +

Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of Scotland. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/