NameCensus.

UK surname

Michaels

Derived from the given name Michael, meaning "Who is like God?" in Hebrew.

In the 1881 census there were 162 people recorded with the Michaels surname, ranking it #14,746 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,026, ranked #5,685, up from #14,746 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to St Botolph Aldgate, Christ Church Spitalfields and St Mary Whitechapel. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Redbridge, Camden and Hounslow.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Michaels is 1,026 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 533.3%.

1881 census count

162

Ranked #14,746

Modern count

1,026

2016, ranked #5,685

Peak year

2016

1,026 bearers

Map years

7

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Michaels had 162 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #14,746 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,026 in 2016, ranked #5,685.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 449 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Michaels surname distribution map

The map shows where the Michaels surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Michaels surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Michaels over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 46 #24,985
1861 historical 94 #21,883
1881 historical 162 #14,746
1891 historical 297 #11,192
1901 historical 413 #9,266
1911 historical 449 #8,519
1997 modern 757 #6,829
1998 modern 789 #6,828
1999 modern 788 #6,880
2000 modern 773 #6,955
2001 modern 743 #7,032
2002 modern 791 #6,837
2003 modern 820 #6,521
2004 modern 822 #6,522
2005 modern 817 #6,503
2006 modern 824 #6,469
2007 modern 826 #6,523
2008 modern 818 #6,614
2009 modern 876 #6,408
2010 modern 933 #6,205
2011 modern 905 #6,300
2012 modern 919 #6,144
2013 modern 955 #6,050
2014 modern 1,006 #5,833
2015 modern 1,006 #5,780
2016 modern 1,026 #5,685

Geography

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Where Michaels' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around St Botolph Aldgate, Christ Church Spitalfields, St Mary Whitechapel, St Dunstan Stepney and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Redbridge, Camden, Hounslow, Hertsmere and Tower Hamlets. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 St Botolph Aldgate London (Central Districts)
2 Christ Church Spitalfields London (East Districts)
3 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
4 St Dunstan Stepney London (East Districts)
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Redbridge 036 Redbridge
2 Camden 004 Camden
3 Hounslow 011 Hounslow
4 Hertsmere 013 Hertsmere
5 Tower Hamlets 012 Tower Hamlets

Forenames

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First names often paired with Michaels

These lists show first names that appear often with the Michaels surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Michaels

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Michaels, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Michaels surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Michaels household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Michaels is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Michaels is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Michaels falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Michaels is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Other

This describes the area pattern most associated with Michaels, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Michaels

Michaels is an English patronymic surname derived from the popular medieval given name Michael, which itself originates from the Hebrew name Mikhael, meaning "who is like God?". The surname Michaels emerged in England during the late medieval period as a way to identify individuals by their father's given name.

The earliest known record of the surname Michaels dates back to the late 13th century, with a mention of a William Michaels in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1285. In the following centuries, the name appeared in various historical records across England, such as the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1327, where a John Michaels was listed.

One notable early bearer of the Michaels surname was Sir John Michaels (c. 1400-1468), a prominent English landowner and Member of Parliament for Wiltshire during the reign of King Henry VI. Another historical figure was William Michaels (c. 1510-1572), a English merchant and member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers in London.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the surname Michaels also appeared in various spellings, such as Michaell, Michell, and Michels, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling at the time. An example of this variation can be found in the records of the Hertfordshire Visitation of 1634, which mentions a Thomas Michell of Buntingford.

One of the earliest known individuals to bear the Michaels surname in North America was Richard Michaels, who arrived in Virginia from England in 1635. Another early bearer was John Michaels, who settled in Maryland in 1675.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Michaels, including:

1. Joannes Michaels (c. 1570-1649), a Dutch engraver and printmaker known for his etchings and engravings of religious subjects. 2. Sir Henry Michaels (1675-1744), an English politician and Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1722 to 1744. 3. John Michaels (1789-1857), an American businessman and philanthropist who co-founded the Mercantile Library of Philadelphia. 4. Wilhelmina Michaels (1861-1928), a German-American artist and illustrator known for her work in children's literature. 5. Lewis Michaels (1919-2003), an American jazz saxophonist and bandleader who performed with notable musicians like Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Michaels families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Michaels surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 117 Michaels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.40x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 117 7.40x
Lancashire 25 1.33x
Cornwall 8 4.47x
Devon 2 0.61x
Gloucestershire 2 0.65x
Shropshire 2 1.47x
Cheshire 1 0.29x
Denbighshire 1 1.68x
Royal Navy 1 5.31x
Surrey 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.38x
Warwickshire 1 0.25x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Whitechapel London in Middlesex leads with 21 Michaels' recorded in 1881 and an index of 134.79x.

Place Total Index
Whitechapel London 21 134.79x
Mile End Old Town 19 76.18x
Spitalfields London 16 134.57x
Mile End New Town 13 601.85x
Liverpool 12 10.54x
Manchester 10 11.86x
Saffron Hill London 10 2941.18x
St Botolph Aldgate 10 462.96x
Falmouth 8 126.38x
Bethnal Green London 7 10.20x
Charterhouse London 7 933.33x
Hackney London 5 5.64x
Shoreditch London 5 7.30x
St George In East 4 37.21x
Middle Hulton 3 270.27x
Plymouth Charles The 2 13.80x
Shrewsbury St Mary 2 37.11x
Westbury On Trym 2 19.05x
Birmingham 1 0.75x
Gresford Gwersyllt 1 54.05x
Hastings St Mary 1 15.08x
Higher Bebington 1 44.84x
Lambeth 1 0.73x
Royal Navy 1 6.21x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Michaels surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Elizabeth 8
Esther 5
Fanny 5
Hannah 5
Julia 4
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Annie 3
Amelia 2
Ann 2
Betsy 2
Clara 2
Martha 2
Rachel 2
Rose 2
Rosetta 2
Ada 1
Adelaide 1
Anne 1
Bloomer 1
Cathrin 1
Christina 1
Deborah 1
Dinah 1
Eleanor 1
Ellen 1
Emily 1
Emma 1
Ether 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Johanna 1
Kate 1
Leah 1
Lotto 1
Margaret 1
Miriam 1
Molly 1
Rachael 1
Rebecca 1
Sophia 1
Yetta 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Michaels surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Michael 6
David 5
Isaac 4
Joseph 4
Simeon 4
Alfred 3
Henry 3
John 3
Lewis 3
Maurice 3
Aaron 2
Albert 2
James 2
Leon 2
Michaels 2
Samuel 2
William 2
Abraham 1
Alexander 1
Andrew 1
Arron 1
Edward 1
Fred 1
George 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Herman 1
Humphrey 1
Israel 1
Julius 1
Mark 1
Max 1
Moris 1
Nathan 1
Pablo 1
Percy 1
Philip 1
Philop 1
Richard 1
Simon 1
Solomon 1
Suncon 1
Susman 1

FAQ

Michaels surname: questions and answers

How common was the Michaels surname in 1881?

In 1881, 162 people were recorded with the Michaels surname. That placed it at #14,746 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Michaels surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,026 in 2016. That gives Michaels a modern rank of #5,685.

What does the Michaels surname mean?

Derived from the given name Michael, meaning "Who is like God?" in Hebrew.

What does the Michaels map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Michaels bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.