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![Show Contents]() Migelow History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 England
The ancestry of the name Migelow dates from the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture of Britain. It comes from when the family lived in the settlement of Migley in Durham, or in the place named Midgley in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The surname Migelow belongs to the large category of Anglo-Saxon habitation names, which are derived from pre-existing names for towns, villages, parishes, or farmsteads. Early Origins of the Migelow familyThe surname Migelow was first found in West Riding of Yorkshire at Midgley, a hill-top village in Calderdale in the chapelry of Luddenden, parish and union of Halifax, wapentake of Morley. The village dates back to at least the Domesday Book when it was listed as Micleie and literally meant "wood or clearing infested with midges," from the Old English mycg + leah. 1 One branch was later found at Thornton, again in the West Riding of Yorkshire. "Leventhorpe Hall, also in the township, was the seat of a distinguished family; and at Headley is an old mansion in the Elizabethan style, in former times occupied by a branch of the Midgleys." 2 Early History of the Migelow familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Migelow research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Migelow History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migelow Spelling VariationsSpelling variations in names were a common occurrence before English spelling was standardized a few hundred years ago. In the Middle Ages, even the literate spelled their names differently as the English language incorporated elements of French, Latin, and other European languages. Many variations of the name Migelow have been found, including Midgley, Midgeley, Midgely, Medgley, Medgely, Medgeley and many more. Early Notables of the Migelow familyMore information is included under the topic Early Migelow Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Migelow familyFamilies began migrating abroad in enormous numbers because of the political and religious discontent in England. Often faced with persecution and starvation in England, the possibilities of the New World attracted many English people. Although the ocean trips took many lives, those who did get to North America were instrumental in building the necessary groundwork for what would become for new powerful nations. Some of the first immigrants to cross the Atlantic and come to North America bore the name Migelow, or a variant listed above: Robert and John Medley, who came to Virginia in 1635; Roger Medley settled in Barbados in 1672; John and Benjamin Midgley settled in New York in 1820.
- Mills, A.D., Dictionary of English Place-Names. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-19-869156-4)
- Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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