Show ContentsMells History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Mells family

The surname Mells was first found in Somerset where Mells (St. Andrew), is a civil parish, in the union of Frome, in the hundred of Mells and Leigh. The parish dates back to pre-Domesday Book and was known as Milne in 942 derived from the Old English word "myln." [1] By the time of the Domesday Book the name place name had evolved to "Mulle" or "Mulne" which meant "several mills." At that time, it was part of the land of St Mary of Glastonbury and held land big enough for 20 ploughs. The mill was also operative. [2] In Suffolk, Mells is a hamlet in the parish of Wenshaston in the union and hundred of Blything. This hamlet has always been much smaller than the Somerset locale as in the early 19th century the Somerset village had 1,261 residents while the Suffolk hamlet had only 123.

Early History of the Mells family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mells research. Another 139 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1103, 1177, 1449, 1455, 1487, 1510, 1560 and 1600 are included under the topic Early Mells History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mells Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Mell, Mel, Melle, Mele and others.

Early Notables of the Mells family

More information is included under the topic Early Mells Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States Mells migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mells Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
  • Menery Mells, who landed in Virginia in 1658 [3]

Contemporary Notables of the name Mells (post 1700) +

  • George John Mells Jr. (b. 1997), Australian professional footballer who plays as a central midfielder for Port Melbourne


  1. Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
  2. Williams, Dr Ann. And G.H. Martin, Eds., Domesday Book A Complete Translation. London: Penguin, 1992. Print. (ISBN 0-141-00523-8)
  3. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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