Middlemast History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

The Anglo-Saxon name Middlemast comes 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 Middlemast family

The surname Middlemast 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 Middlemast family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Middlemast research. Another 350 words (25 lines of text) covering the years 1350, 1497, 1530, 1566, 1439, 1495, 1497, 1530, 1566, 1567, 1652, 1537, 1425, 1611, 1742, 1610, 1611, 1612, 1665, 1670, 1674, 1513, 1590, 1603, 1629 and 1692 are included under the topic Early Middlemast History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Middlemast Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Middlemast were recorded, including Middlemass, Middlemas, Middlemaist, Middlemiss and many more.

Early Notables of the Middlemast family (pre 1700)

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

Migration of the Middlemast family to Ireland

Some of the Middlemast 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 Middlemast family

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Middlemast family emigrate to North America: George Middlemane (Middlemast) settled in Virginia in 1679; William Middlemass, who came to Virginia in 1723; James Middlemiss, who came to America in 1726.

Historic Events for the Middlemast family +

RMS Lusitania

Mrs. Isabella L. Middlemast, Canadian 2nd Class passenger from Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking [8]

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)
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/