Midlemess History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsMidlemess is one of the oldest family names to come from the Anglo-Saxon tribes of Britain. It is derived from the place name Middlemass, a district near Kelso in the Borders region of Scotland, so named from northern Middle English word "midelmast," meaning "middlemost." Alternatively, the name be from Michaelmas, denoting the season or day that the child was born. 1 2 3 Early Origins of the Midlemess familyThe surname Midlemess was first found in Lincolnshire where they held a family seat at Middlemarsh. 4 5 Middlemarsh is also a tything, in the parish of Mintern-Magna, union of Cerne, hundred of Cerne, Totcombe, and Modbury, Cerne division of Dorset. 6 Early records in England are scarce but we did find on record of Thomas de Meddelmersee in 1297. 5 So we must look to Scotland for early entries for the family. "The Middlemasses were vassals and tenants of the district around Kelso, and derived their surname from 'lie Middlemestlands in villa et territorio de Calco,' mentioned in 1029. William de Meldiemast who petitioned for a benefice in the gift of the abbot of Kelso, 1406 (Pap. Pet., I, p. 624) was probably Schir Wilyeam Myddilmast, the 'lwvit chapellain' of Archibald de Douglas, earl of Wigtoun, vicar of Selkirk in the first quarter of the fifteenth century." 7 Early History of the Midlemess familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Midlemess research. Another 350 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1425, 1439, 1495, 1497, 1513, 1530, 1537, 1566, 1567, 1590, 1603, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1629, 1652, 1665, 1670, 1674, 1692 and 1742 are included under the topic Early Midlemess History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Midlemess Spelling VariationsOnly recently has spelling become standardized in the English language. As the English language evolved in the Middle Ages, the spelling of names changed also. The name Midlemess has undergone many spelling variations, including Middlemass, Middlemas, Middlemaist, Middlemiss and many more. Early Notables of the Midlemess familyMore information is included under the topic Early Midlemess Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Midlemess family to IrelandSome of the Midlemess family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Midlemess familyTo escape the unstable social climate in England of this time, many families boarded ships for the New World with the hope of finding land, opportunity, and greater religious and political freedom. Although the voyages were expensive, crowded, and difficult, those families that arrived often found greater opportunities and freedoms than they could have experienced at home. Many of those families went on to make significant contributions to the rapidly developing colonies in which they settled. Early North American records indicate many people bearing the name Midlemess were among those contributors: George Middlemane (Middlemast) settled in Virginia in 1679; William Middlemass, who came to Virginia in 1723; James Middlemiss, who came to America in 1726.
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