Middlemass History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

Middlemass is a name of Anglo-Saxon origin and came 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 Middlemass family

The surname Middlemass 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 Middlemass family

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

Middlemass Spelling Variations

Spelling 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 Middlemass have been found, including Middlemass, Middlemas, Middlemaist, Middlemiss and many more.

Early Notables of the Middlemass family

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

Migration of the Middlemass family to Ireland

Some of the Middlemass 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.

Middlemass migration to the United States +

Families 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. Among the first immigrants of the name Middlemass, or a variant listed above to cross the Atlantic and come to North America were :

Middlemass Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

William Middlemass, who settled in Virginia in 1723

Middlemass Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Francis Middlemass, who arrived in America in 1832
Henry Middlemass, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1854 8

Contemporary Notables of the name Middlemass (post 1700) +

Robert Middlemass (1883-1949), American character actor with over 116 film appearances
Clive Middlemass (1944-2022), English professional footballer (1962-1970) and manager (1980-2013) from Sheffield, England
Mary Jane "Jean" Middlemass (1833-1919), English novelist; her father first published her works under the pseudonym Mignionette
Francis George "Frank" Middlemass (1919-2006), English actor, best remembered for his television role as Rocky Hardcastle in As Time Goes By

Citations +

Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Barber, Henry, British Family Names London: Elliot Stock, 62 Paternoster Row, 1894. Print.
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
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)
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)