NameCensus.

UK surname

Mitchelson

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Mitchell, which ultimately derives from the Hebrew name Michael meaning "who is like God?"

In the 1881 census there were 379 people recorded with the Mitchelson surname, ranking it #8,268 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 454, ranked #10,732, down from #8,268 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Jarrow, Gateshead and King's Lynn St Margaret. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Carlisle, Northumberland and King's Lynn and West Norfolk.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mitchelson is 506 in 1998. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 19.8%.

1881 census count

379

Ranked #8,268

Modern count

454

2016, ranked #10,732

Peak year

1998

506 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mitchelson had 379 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,268 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016, ranked #10,732.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 501 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Mitchelson surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mitchelson surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mitchelson 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 223 #9,562
1861 historical 266 #9,318
1881 historical 379 #8,268
1891 historical 422 #8,483
1901 historical 501 #8,045
1911 historical 381 #9,635
1997 modern 489 #9,453
1998 modern 506 #9,501
1999 modern 498 #9,687
2000 modern 496 #9,689
2001 modern 481 #9,743
2002 modern 493 #9,728
2003 modern 479 #9,793
2004 modern 462 #10,092
2005 modern 443 #10,331
2006 modern 437 #10,487
2007 modern 441 #10,513
2008 modern 439 #10,640
2009 modern 446 #10,755
2010 modern 455 #10,802
2011 modern 446 #10,863
2012 modern 437 #10,915
2013 modern 462 #10,618
2014 modern 455 #10,804
2015 modern 452 #10,785
2016 modern 454 #10,732

Geography

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Where Mitchelsons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Jarrow, Gateshead, King's Lynn St Margaret, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Bedlington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Carlisle, Northumberland, King's Lynn and West Norfolk and North Tyneside. 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 Jarrow Durham
2 Gateshead Durham
3 King's Lynn St Margaret Norfolk
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Bedlington Northumberland

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Carlisle 002 Carlisle
2 Northumberland 024 Northumberland
3 King's Lynn and West Norfolk 007 King's Lynn and West Norfolk
4 North Tyneside 018 North Tyneside
5 Northumberland 010 Northumberland

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mitchelson

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mitchelson

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mitchelson, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Young Families in Industrial Towns

Nationally, the Mitchelson surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Young Families in Industrial Towns, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mitchelson household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mitchelson is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mitchelson is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mitchelson falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mitchelson is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mitchelson

The surname Mitchelson originated in Scotland in the 12th century. It is derived from the ancient Scottish name Mitchell, which is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name 'Micheil' meaning 'gift of God'. The suffix '-son' was added to indicate the person was the son of someone named Mitchell.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Mitchelson appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Scottish nobles who swore fealty to Edward I of England. An entry mentions 'Johannes Michelsone' from Lanarkshire. Other early spellings include Mitchelsoune, Mitchelsone, and Mitchelsoun.

In the 16th century, the Mitchelson family was prominent in the Scottish Borders region. John Mitchelson (1520-1589) served as a magistrate in Jedburgh and was known for his fair rulings. His son, William Mitchelson (1550-1625), was a respected wool merchant and landowner in the area.

The name Mitchelson can also be traced back to the village of Mitchelston in Ayrshire, Scotland. This place name likely originated from an early settler named Mitchell who established a township there in the 13th century. Records show that a Robert Mitchelson (1610-1687) was the laird of Mitchelston in the mid-1600s.

One notable bearer of the Mitchelson name was Sir John Mitchelson (1765-1839), a Scottish naval officer who rose to the rank of Admiral in the Royal Navy. He distinguished himself in several battles during the Napoleonic Wars and was knighted for his bravery in 1815.

Another famous Mitchelson was Mary Mitchelson (1898-1976), a Scottish painter and sculptor known for her avant-garde works. Her abstract sculptures and cubist-inspired paintings were widely exhibited in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mitchelson families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mitchelson 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. Northumberland leads with 68 Mitchelsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.36x.

County Total Index
Northumberland 68 12.36x
Durham 44 4.00x
Fife 32 14.62x
Angus 21 6.13x
Lincolnshire 21 3.55x
Cumberland 20 6.28x
Middlesex 17 0.46x
Yorkshire 16 0.44x
Lanarkshire 15 1.25x
Kent 14 1.11x
Worcestershire 13 2.69x
Northamptonshire 12 3.45x
Lancashire 11 0.25x
Warwickshire 11 1.18x
Cheshire 10 1.23x
Perthshire 10 6.03x
Cambridgeshire 8 3.42x
Midlothian 8 1.62x
Nottinghamshire 8 1.61x
Surrey 5 0.28x
Derbyshire 4 0.69x
Oxfordshire 3 1.31x
Gloucestershire 2 0.28x
Norfolk 2 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.24x
Hertfordshire 1 0.39x
Montgomeryshire 1 1.18x
Renfrewshire 1 0.35x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dysart in Fife leads with 25 Mitchelsons recorded in 1881 and an index of 169.61x.

Place Total Index
Dysart 25 169.61x
Bedlington 17 92.54x
Westoe 16 25.66x
Kings Norton 13 30.03x
Mickley 12 689.66x
Greenwich 11 18.69x
New Malton 11 251.14x
Peterborough 11 43.69x
Barony 10 3.30x
Monifieth 10 82.64x
Toxteth Park 10 6.73x
Kensington London 9 4.38x
Tranmere 9 30.01x
Brampton 8 183.49x
Heworth 8 36.92x
South Witham 8 1538.46x
Askerton 7 1707.32x
Bourn 7 146.75x
Liff Benvie 7 13.46x
Tynemouth 7 23.76x
Chirton 6 48.19x
Gateshead 6 7.29x
North Shields 6 54.64x
Rugby 6 47.58x
West Matfen 6 1538.46x
Wolsingham 6 59.88x
Aston 5 1.95x
Bishopwearmouth 5 5.30x
Edinburgh St Marys 5 51.92x
Govan 5 1.69x
Irthington 5 657.89x
Perth East Church 5 31.97x
Ulgham 5 549.45x
Weetslade 5 520.83x
Dundee 4 3.13x
Kinghorn 4 86.02x
Nottingham St Mary 4 3.10x
Redgorton 4 217.39x
Wisbech St Peter 4 34.07x
Derby St Peter 3 16.27x
Elm 3 131.00x
Morton In Bourn 3 250.00x
Rotherfield Greys 3 123.97x
St George Hanover 3 6.22x
St Pancras London 3 1.01x
West Malling 3 105.63x
Clifton 2 5.46x
Edinburgh St Stephens 2 20.51x
High Callerton 2 1538.46x
Langar 2 370.37x
Newington 2 1.46x
Pickering 2 43.38x
Ashton Under Lyne 1 1.04x
Berkhampstead 1 17.45x
Castle Bytham 1 120.48x
Cotherston 1 123.46x
Edenham 1 140.85x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.50x
Eltringham 1 169.49x
Errol 1 32.57x
Escomb 1 19.80x
Folkingham 1 136.99x
Forgan 1 23.87x
Gedling 1 121.95x
Hampstead London 1 1.74x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 1 2.10x
Kilbarchan 1 11.49x
Kings Cliffe 1 61.73x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 1 5.86x
Kirkcaldy 1 9.22x
Knutsford Over 1 192.31x
Lambeth 1 0.31x
Leslie 1 18.05x
Litchurch 1 4.29x
Mansfield 1 5.80x
Monkwearmouth 1 9.50x
Sithney 1 23.64x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 1.34x
St Marylebone London 1 0.51x
Whittlesey St Mary St 1 12.22x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 21
William 16
Henry 9
Robert 9
Thomas 9
James 8
Charles 6
George 6
Richard 5
Archibald 4
Edward 4
Joseph 4
Arthur 3
Walter 3
Alfred 2
Archibold 2
Christopher 2
David 2
Harry 2
Hy. 2
Albert 1
Alex 1
Alexander 1
Archbold 1
Archd. 1
Brian 1
Bryan 1
Daniel 1
Douglas 1
Ed. 1
Edgar 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Gilbert 1
Henery 1
Herbert 1
Irving 1
Lancelot 1
Michael 1
Nathaniel 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Vivian 1
W.H. 1
Willm.Jas. 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Mitchelson surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mitchelson surname in 1881?

In 1881, 379 people were recorded with the Mitchelson surname. That placed it at #8,268 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mitchelson surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 454 in 2016. That gives Mitchelson a modern rank of #10,732.

What does the Mitchelson surname mean?

A patronymic surname derived from the given name Mitchell, which ultimately derives from the Hebrew name Michael meaning "who is like God?"

What does the Mitchelson map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mitchelson 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.