Surname Michell - Meaning and Origin
all surnames with 'M'
Michell: What does the surname Michell mean?
The last name Michell is of English origin and is a variant of the name Michael, which is derived from the Hebrew name Mikha'el meaning "Who is like God?" This is often a rhetorical question implying no person is like God. The surname Michell may have been adopted by those who bear the name of Michael to distinguish between other people with the same name. It was commonly used in the southern and western counties of England. Michell is an example of patronymic surname, a tradition where a component of a person's name is derived from their father or a paternal ancestor. The tradition can be traced back to the Middle Ages, where an individual was identified by their name and their father’s or forefather’s name. It is also worth noting that spelling variations are common for many surnames due to factors such as linguistic translation and regional dialects.
Order DNA origin analysisMichell: Where does the name Michell come from?
The surname Michell is of English origin. It is derived from the Hebrew name Michael, which means "Who is like God?". During the Middle Ages, when Yiddish and Old French were commonly spoken, the name Michael was often transformed into various forms like Michel and Michell, creating the basis for surnames. The Michell surname first manifested in Devon county in the southwestern parts of England and it started spreading across different regions over the centuries.
Today, the surname Michell is found most commonly in English-speaking countries such as England, the United States, Canada, and Australia. There is also a considerable presence in Wales and Scotland. It is important to note that the distribution of the Michell surname is not heavily concentrated in one particular region, but spread across a diverse range of locations.
Variations of the surname Michell
The surname Michell is of English origin and variants of the name are often due to regional pronunciation differences and spelling mistakes. Some variants of the name could be Mitchell, Michelle, Micheal, Mitchel, Mitchelle, and Michel.
Historically, surnames evolved as a way to sort people into groups by occupation, place of origin, clan affiliation, patronage, parentage, adoption, and even physical characteristics. Therefore the surname Michell also possibly evolved into surnames like Michels, Micheals, Michaels, Michal, and Michail.
French, Dutch, and German variants of the name would be Michel, and the Italian variant would most likely be Michele.
The root name "Michael" means "who is like God?", a question suggesting humility. It is a common given name that turned into surnames eventually.
The use of surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation, and in England, this practice was known as Poll Tax, which often led to extreme variations in spelling. Because literacy was not common, many officials recorded names phonetically, and therefore, a single person could have their name recorded numerous ways throughout their life. Therefore it's likely many more variations of the name Michell exist.
Famous people with the name Michell
- Jennifer Michelle, model and former Miss Colombia
- Caroline Michelle, actress and singer
- Jason Micallef, American filmmaker and political satirist
- Tanyelle Michelle, former professional soccer player
- David Mitchell, British comedian and actor
- Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States
- Stephanie Michelle, Filipino-American YouTube personality
- Leon Michell, American R&B singer and producer
- Alfred Michell, English botanist and geologist
- Selena Michell, Brazilian singer and songwriter