RootsChat.Com
Some Special Interests => One Name Studies => Topic started by: micknyve on Monday 06 April 09 12:41 BST (UK)
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??? ???Can anyone help me to find the meaning of the surname Mitson?
I have tried every search I can think of - visited 100īs of websites offering this service, but NOT ONE of them has a meaning/origin for it!! ???
Thanks in advance
micknyve
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It should mean son of Mit, whoever he was! Have you tried genealogy today my surname?
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Thanks for that!! Quite obvious really!! but I would appreciate a more in depth reply!!
Yes, I have tried that site - to no avail.
micknyve
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Surnames of England and Wales website run by Office of National Statistics shows there were 500 Mitsons in England and Wales in 2002 when the data base was compiled. I have heard of it once, in Louth Lincs. Have you tried the Society of Genealogists?
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Yes I have tried there also - my family came from Norfolk - there seem to be quite a few there during the census periods!
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Just a thought, which may be nothing at all. In Lincolnshire there is a very rare surname -Answer. Origin unknown, but it proved to be a variant of the Derbyshire surname Ensor. Is it feasible that Mitson is a variant?
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I would say it is more than possible, considering the history of Norfolk, what with the Romans, Angles, Saxons and Dutch influences to name but a few!
I am sure someone out there - possibly with a copy of the Oxford Names Companion - can help me!
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I have the Oxford Names Companion in front of me and there is no mention of Mitson! ???
I have looked throughout the book and there is nothing much to go on :-\....... however as a location name, places like Mitton ('farmstead where two rivers join') and Mitford ('ford where two streams join') have the connotation of being places at the meeting of two rivers or streams. Mit comes from the Old English mythe basically meaning confluence, and I doubt very much if you are the 'son of the two rivers' (Bilbo Baggins) or something similar ;D.........
As a surname however, the nearest I think I can get is the Old Scottish (Aberdeen) form of Mi(t)chieson and the book makes reference to Michie, which cutting a long story short basically means son of Michael.
I have found within my own family history research that names often get muddled up and mis-spelt so perhaps over the passing of time either by accent or mis-spelling your surname no longer represents what it was originally. I have no idea whether that might be correct (and I am very happy to be corrected by anyone in the know) or not, but I hope that this info is a little helpful. :)
I also looked up Ensor but there is no variation of that for anything and certainly not Mitson.
Regards
Philip
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Oh dear! Well thank you very much for looking it up for me. I shall wait and see if anyone else can help!
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The surnames Mitson, Metsom and Metson are registered by a member of The Guild of One-Name Studies who should know.
Stan
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There were 226 in the 1881 Census
Essex 71
Norfolk 40
Suffolk 29
Middlesex 28
Lancashire 18
Kent 17
Surrey 14
Cambridgeshire 5
Staffordshire 3
Yorks N.Riding 1
Stan
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There were also 299 Metson in the 1881 Census which is a predominantly Essex name, and of which Mitson is most likely a variant
Essex 229
Middlesex 33
Surrey 16
Kent 11
Yorks W.Riding 4
Suffolk 3
Berwickshire 2
Devonshire 1
Stan
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If it helps, Family Search with exact spelling OFF equates it with Mattson Mattesen etc. Answer was only an illustration of the time of thing that can happen when names are passed on in a society of relatively low literacy!
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Thanks everyone for you help :D - I have been in touch with The Guild of One-Name Studies - and hope that I get what I am looking for!!
:-\ ;D
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Please let us know the result
Philip
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I would love to know the outcome of this! My Grandfather was a Mitson from Norfolk and we have traced them back to the 18th century. It is a rare surname and going back there were only 2 Mitson families in Norfolk, one based around Norwich and the other Kenninghall and so far myself (descended from the Kenninghall Mitsons) and a lovely lady who I have been in touch with who is descended from the Norwich Mitsons, have been unable to find a link between the two!
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Hi Solucki,
My brother in law's family were also from Kenninghall. His grandfather was Alfred John Mitson! If I can help at all let me know how.
Regards
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Hello! I have two Alfred Mitson's in my tree. Was his father James Mitson (shepherd)? I was just wondering if you got any further with your research of the Mitson name ?
Best Wishes
Michelle
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Hello.
Alfred Mitson's father was George who married Emily. He was a carpenter. It doesn't seem as if we are from the same line!
I have got no further with the origin of the name though, sorry!
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Thanks for letting me know! Alfred is still related to my Mitsons but not in my direct line. They were all particular baptists and as such many are buried in the old baptist chapel (now converted to a private house) I have seen the house your Alfred used to work from as I don't live too far from Kenninghall.