Surname Middleham - Meaning and Origin
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Middleham: What does the surname Middleham mean?
The last name Middleham is of Anglo-Saxon origin and is an English locational surname. It derives from the place called Middleham, which was located in the West Riding of Yorkshire. The place name itself is derived from the Old English words "middel" meaning "middle" and "ham" meaning "homestead". The Middleham surname is first recorded in the 13th century and is believed to be one of the oldest English surnames.
The Middleham family originated in the Yorkshire village with the same name and spread across the region with the passage of time. The Middleham surname then spread to other areas in England and Scotland as members of the family moved away in search of work and to contribute more widely to society.
Middleham is more commonly seen in Yorkshire today as many of the original occupants stayed in the village and their descendants still reside there today. It is likely that the modern Middleham family name originated in either Yorkshire or in the North of England in general. The name is associated with regions of the U.K. that are heavily populated by people of Anglo-Saxon descent.
In the east and south of England, the Middleham surname is much rarer; however, there are still some family lines from the Middleham of Yorkshire who are still alive today. The Middleham family has a strong presence in the United States, where many of the family members who emigrated changed the spelling of their name to Middelham.
In summary, the Middleham surname is of Anglo-Saxon origin and has strong associations with the North of England. This family name has a long history in Yorkshire, and many of the family lines still exist there today; though some have been dispersed to other parts of the U.K. and the U.S.A.
Order DNA origin analysisMiddleham: Where does the name Middleham come from?
The last name Middleham is not particularly common today. The U.K. generally has had more people bearing the name Middleham than other countries, with the highest concentrations present in the county of Yorkshire, particularly within the towns of Northallerton, Boroughbridge, and Pateley Bridge.
Historically, the Middleham family likely have arisen from a village in the North Riding of Yorkshire named Middleham, first recorded as Mittham in the Domesday Book. It is likely in the distinct northern English dialect of ancient times that the surname was formed. Over time, the name spread to other parts of Yorkshire, and by the 18th century, the name Middleham appeared in areas such as Durham, Cumberland and Northumberland.
The name is not especially popular today, however, and data from forebears.io, a genealogical database, indicates that the population of people bearing the Middleham surname is less than 1,000, mostly concentrated in the U.K., with very small numbers in Australia, the United States and Canada.
Variations of the surname Middleham
The surname Middleham can be traced back to multiple origins, each having their own spellings and variants. The surname originates from the Old English pre 7th Century word “midleham”, which translates to mean a ‘middle or central home’ and probably refers to a settlement or an estate.
The most common variant in Britain and North America is Middleham, however in Europe, the Middleham surname is often found spelled as Midelham, Midland, Middelham, Middleam, Middilham, Midelam, Midelom, and Midelum. In Germany, the surname is often spelled as Mittelham.
The surname is also recognizable under a variety of surnames related to its various spellings or variants, with part of the name being lost over time. Variants include Midlam, Medlam, Midtham, Millam, Milham, Millham, Meellham, and Meadows.
In addition, the surname Middleham is often found as a habitational surname, where people took on the name of their settlements. For instance, Middleham Castle in North Yorkshire. In this case, surnames may include, such as Middlehampton, Middleamshire, Middlehamston, Middlehamstow, or Midelhamstow.
The surname and its variants are also thought to have been taken on by families who settled near a physical feature such as a hill, a stream, or any other geographical landmark. In this case, they would have described the family as living near that particular Physical Feature. Variants of this type of surname include Middlehammer, Middlehamshire, Middlehamstead, Middlehamwall, Midthamshill, and Middleamshill.
Famous people with the name Middleham
- Elijah Middleham: American rap artist
- David Middleham: American mathematician
- Leonard Middleham: British anthropologist and primatologist
- Jack Middleham: British actor
- Sir Robert Middleham: English politician
- Richard Middleham: Australian poet and novelist
- Ruth Middleham: Australian author
- Charles Middleham: English actor of stage, film, and television
- Ann Middleham: British novelist
- Tom Middleham: British illustrator
- Peter Middleham: British classical musician
- Alfred Middleham: English cricketer
- Reverend Thomas Middleham: British Vicar
- John Middleham: American Hollywood music producer and executive
- Captain Frank Middleham: British Naval Officer and Victoria Cross recipient