Mitchum History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

The Mitchum 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 Mitchum family

The surname Mitchum 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 Mitchum family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mitchum 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 Mitchum History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mitchum Spelling Variations

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

Early Notables of the Mitchum family

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

Mitchum Ranking

In the United States, the name Mitchum is the 7,075^th most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Mitchum family to Ireland

Some of the Mitchum 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.

Mitchum migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mitchum Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Emily Mitchum, aged 32, originally from Bermuda, arrived in New York in 1906 aboard the ship "Bermudian" from Bermuda 4
Baidee Mitchum, aged 28, destined for Louisville, Ky., arrived in New York in 1923 aboard the ship "Cameronia" from Glasgow, Scotland 4

Contemporary Notables of the name Mitchum (post 1700) +

Robert Charles Durman Mitchum (1917-1997), American Academy Award nominated film actor and singer, best known for his roles in The Story of G.I. Joe (1945), Out of the Past (1947), The Night of the Hunter (1955), and Cape Fear (1962)
James Mitchum (b. 1941), American actor and the eldest son of actor Robert Mitchum
Bentley Mitchum (b. 1967), American actor, grandson of actor Robert Mitchum, son of actor Christopher Mitchum
John Mitchum (1919-2001), American actor, younger brother of Julie Mitchum and Robert Mitchum
Christopher "Chris" Mitchum (b. 1943), American actor, younger brother of actor James Mitchum
Timothy T. Mitchum (b. 1992), American actor and singer
Junie Alexander Mitchum (b. 1973), Kittian cricketer
Orlando Mitchum (b. 1987), Kittian international footballer

The Mitchum 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/
Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result