Contents [hide]

Michael History Etymology Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables Ranking

Ireland United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Suggested Reading Citations

Michael History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Germany
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Michael

What does the name Michael mean?

The distinguished surname Michael is one of the many names that first came to England in the wake of the Norman Conquest of 1066. The name is derived from the given name "Michel," meaning "who is like God." 1 One source notes of another possible origin: "Anglo-Saxon mycel, great, or mickle, would be a tolerably satisfactory etymon, and this may in some instances be the origin of the surname; but I think in most cases it is derived from Michael, a very popular baptismal name in many countries, through its French form, Michel." 2

Early Origins of the Michael family

The surname Michael was first found in many places throughout ancient Britain. As if to underscore this claim, the following entries were found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273: Hugh filius Micahel in Lincolnshire; Roger Michel in Norfolk; and as a forename, Mikael de Brackele in London. Years later, the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 listed the following: Johannes Michelson; Thomas Michilson and Adam Michelson. 3

Michele Michael was listed in the Subsidy Rolls for Somerset in 1327. Michel de Whepstede was recorded in Punchbeck, Suffolk in 1327. The Curia Regis Rolls for Northumberland listed Gilbert Michel in 1205, while the same rolls for Somerset recorded Robert Michel in Somerset in 1219. 4

"In 1198 Michael de Middelton' held a quarter of a carucate in Middleton, Wiltshire by service of keeping the king's wolf-hounds (Fees). About 1219 William Michel received per day for keeping two wolf-hounds and in 1236 Richard Michel held a cotset in Middleton for a similar service. The relationship between the three men is not stated but it appears a reasonable assumption that they were of the same family and that Michaelde Middleton had two sons who derived their surname Michel from their father's Christian name." 4

The name was "distributed over England, but far more frequent in the south. Its home, par excellence, is in the county of Cornwall, where in nearly half the instances it is written Michell, though the pronunciation is the same. Its other homes are in Sussex, Wilts, and in the West Riding. Its prevalence in Cornwall is due to the fact that several parishes and places in the county bear the name of St. Michael in one form or another." 5

In Devon, Thomas Mitchell was Warden of St Mary's College, Ottery St Mary in 1511.

Early History of the Michael family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Michael research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1068, 1320, 1344, 1384, 1438, 1586, 1624, 1635, 1647, 1649, 1650, 1661, 1662, 1668, 1672, 1696, 1740, 1745, 1816 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Michael History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Michael Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Mitchell, Michel, Michell, Mitchill, Mychell, Mitcham and many more.

Early Notables of the Michael family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was Jonathan Mitchel (1624?-1668), New England divine, born in Halifax, Yorkshire, about 1624, was son of Matthew Mitchel. He accompanied his parents to America in 1635, graduated at Harvard in 1647, and on 24 June 1649 preached at Hartford, Connecticut, with such acceptance that he was invited to succeed Thomas Hooker (1586-1647). This offer he declined. In May 1650 he was elected fellow of Harvard, and appears to have acted as tutor. In June 1661 he was one of the committee appointed to defend the privileges of the colony, then...
Another 97 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Michael Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Michael Ranking

In the United States, the name Michael is the 877^th most popular surname with an estimated 34,818 people with that name. 6 However, in Australia, the name Michael is ranked the 607^th most popular surname with an estimated 6,442 people with that name. 7

Migration of the Michael family to Ireland

Some of the Michael family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 137 words (10 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Michael migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Michael Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Henry Michael, who landed in Virginia in 1661 8
Archibald Michael, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 8
Anne Michael, who landed in Virginia in 1696 8

Michael Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Johann Heinrich Michael, who landed in New York, NY in 1709 8
Henrich Michael, who arrived in New York in 1709-1710 8
Hans Henrich Michael, who landed in New York, NY in 1710 8
Niclaus Michael, who landed in New York, NY in 1710-1714 8
Callman Michael, who landed in New York, NY in 1716 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Michael Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Mary Michael, aged 23, who arrived in America in 1822 8
Salvi Michael, who landed in Mississippi in 1825 8
Gerh Michael, who arrived in America in 1836 8
John Michael, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1840 8
Jacob Michael, who arrived in Mobile County, Ala in 1840 8
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Michael Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Athanasius Michael, who landed in Alabama in 1913 8

Michael migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Michael Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Paul Michael, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1750
Friedrich Michael setled in Canada in 1783
Mr. Davy Michael U.E. who settled in Canada c. 1784 9

Michael migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Michael Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. George Michael, British Convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Asia" on 5th November 1835, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land)1836 10
James Michael, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 11
Mary Michael, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 11
Susan Clarke Michael, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cleveland" in 1839 11
Mr. Charles Michael, Scottish convict who was convicted in Inverary, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Equestrian" on 25th January 1844, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Island) 12
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Michael migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Michael Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Richard M. Michael, aged 21, who arrived in Hawkes Bay aboard the ship "Inverness" in 1875
Mr. Richard M. Michael, (b. 1854), aged 21, Cornish navvy departing on 21st August 1875 aboard the ship "Inverness" going to Hawkes Bay, New Zealand arriving in port on 28th November 1875 13

Contemporary Notables of the name Michael (post 1700) +

Eugene Richard Michael (1938-2017), American shortstop, coach, scout, manager and executive in Major League Baseball
Bill Michael (1935-2016), American head football coach at UTEP from 1977 to 1981
Kevin Michael (b. 1985), American Contemporary R&B, soul, funk, pop artist
Second Lieutenant Harry J Michael, American officer awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1945
First Lieutenant Edward S Michael, American officer awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
Cyril Michael, American politician, U.S. Attorney for Virgin Islands, 1951-54
Charles F. Michael, American politician, Delegate to Ohio convention to ratify 21st amendment, 1933
Charles F. Michael, American politician, Representative from Connecticut 1st District, 1904; Democratic Candidate for Connecticut State House of Representatives from Bristol, 1906
Cassius K. Michael, American politician, Representative from New York 1st District, 1908
C. Edwin Michael, American Republican politician, Postmaster at Nazareth, Pennsylvania, 1899-1907
... (Another 29 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Michael family +

Bismarck

Wilhelm Michael (1919-1941), German Mechanikersobergefreiter who served aboard the German Battleship Bismarck during World War II when it was sunk heading to France; he died in the sinking 14

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Dewi Michael, English 2nd Class passenger from England, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and survived the sinking 15

USS Indianapolis

Bertrand Franklin Michael, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 16
Elmer Orion Michael, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 16

Citations +

Hanks, Patricia and Flavia Hodges, A Dictionary of Surnames. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1988. Print. (ISBN 0-19-211592-8)
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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
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)
Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th January 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/asia/1835
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CLEVELAND 1839. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1839Cleveland.htm
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 4th May 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/equestrian
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 2018, April 30). Emigrants to other ports, 1872 - 84 [PDF]. Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/new_zealand_assisted.pdf
Bismarck & Tirpitz Class - Crew List Bismarck. (Retrieved 2018, February 06). Retrieved from https://www.bismarck-class.dk/bismarck/crew/bismarck_crew.html#crew_details
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew

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