HISTORY OF THE MITCHELL NAME:

The ancient family tree of the Mitchell family began in Scotland. The family originally lived in the town Mitcham in the county of Surrey before moving north to Scotland.

Variations of the name include Mitchill, Mitchum, Mitchill, Michell, Migel, Mitchone, Migell and many more.

The earliest written records of the name were found in Surrey. The family resided there as early as the 11th century when King William the Conqueror granted them a parcel of land. Later the family began to branch out and the name was found in Scotland at Muirtown, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee by the early 15th century.

During the 16th and 17th centuries some of the family moved to the county of Dorset and to Enderby Hall in Leicestershire. Some of the family moved to Ireland in the Plantation of Ulster and in 1890, a census of Scottish families in Ireland was taken. It showed that there were over 5734 people bearing the surname Mitchell and about 49% of these were found in the province of Ulster.

Matthew Mitchell was one of the first immigrants to the United States in the 17th century.

www.surnamedb.com

Recorded in many forms including Machel, Matchell, Matsell, Mitchel, Mitchell, Michell, Mickle, Muckle and others, this is an surname of English and Scottish origins. Introduced into Western Europe by returning knights and pilgrims of the famous Crusades to free the Holy Land, it derives from the medieval Hebrew and Biblical name "Michel", meaning "He who is like the Lord". The name is first recorded in circa 1160, when one Michaelis de Areci appears in the Danelaw Documents of the city of London, and Michel de Whepstede in the Subsidy Tax rolls of Suffolk in 1327. The Royal Registers of England for the year 1219 have the entry of William Michel. He was paid three pence per day, probably now equivalent to 50 or $80, for keeping two of the Kings' wolfhounds. Other examples include Richard Mukel in the Hundred Rolls of the landowners of the county of Shropshire, in 1255, Agnes Mitchell who married Richard Freeman on June 24th 1582, at St. Dunstan's in the East, Stepney, city of London, whilst Fanny Matsell married George Phillips, at St Leonards Shoreditch in the city of London, on August 13th 1792.

A coat of arms associated with the surname has the blazon of a black shield, charged with an escallop between three gold birds' heads erased. The first recorded spelling of the family name may be that of Gilbert Michel. This was dated 1205, in the Curia Regis Rolls of Northumberland, during the reign of King John of England, 1199 - 1216. Surnames became necessary when governments introducted personal taxation. In England this was sometimes known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to “develop” often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

Our Mitchell including McMULLEN, MURPHY and HASLIP

Small numbers by a name refer to personal number in listing eg HENRY 2 MITCHELL – see 2



GENERATION ONE:

1. ~ ~ ~ HENRY MITCHELL was born on 24 September 1812 in Putney, Surrey, England. He enlisted in the British Army at the age of 13 years in the 54th Regiment. He served 16 years 3 months including 14 years in India. His height 5'10", brown hair, grey eyes, sallow complexion, a good character, labourer. He was discharged in Dublin in 1844 then came to Otahuhu from Belfast, Ireland on the Fencible Ship “Ann” arriving in New Zealand on 16 May 1848 and became a founding pioneer of the settlement of Otahuhu.

Henry had no family on board the "Ann" but soon married MARY McMULLEN in at St Peter's Church in Onehunga, Auckland on 16th July 1848. Mary was born in Ireland and was the eldest daughter of MICHAEL McMULLEN and ELLEN McELVOY. She and her family also arrived in New Zealand on the “Ann”.

Children of HENRY MITCHELL and MARY McMULLEN were:

Henry died on 25 August 1901 at his son's residence in Otahuhu it was claimed he was the last of the Otahuhu Fencibles to have lived there continuously. Mary died aged 52 years on 20 June 1865. They were both buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery in Otahuhu.

From "Deaths Pertaining to Early Auckland" :

Last of the Otahuhu Fencibles - Mr Henry Mitchell, aged 89, an old and highly-respected resident of Otahuhu, passed away on Sunday morning. Mr Mitchel was the last of the old original pensioners - the New Zealand Fencibles - who arrived in Auckland by the ship "Ann" on May 1st, 1848, and who virtually founded the present prosperous settlement of Otahuhu. Sergeant Heath, of Howick, who came to New Zealand by another vessel, is, as far as can be ascertained, the only survivor of these old colonists. The Otahuhu contingent, on its arrival at Otahuhu in 1849, numbered upwards of 70 men, all of whom have now joined the great majority. The late Henry Mitchell was born at Putney on September 14th, 1812. He enlisted at Chatham, in the 54th Foot, n September 1825 when he was 13 years old. He served 14 years in India under Colonels Fane, Yorke-Moore and Reid. He was discharged in Dublin in 1844, and arrived in Auckland by the ship "Ann" on May 1st 1848. Since 1849 he has lived continuously in Otahuhu. He leaves behind him one son, two daughters, and numberous grandchildren. The deceased was a most upright man, respected by all. He knew the meaning of the word "duty", and carried it out to the best of his ability throughout his long life.

New Zealand Herald 27.8.1901

GENERATION TWO:

    2. ~ ~ ~ HENRY MITCHELL (HENRY) was on 22 May 1855 in Auckland. He married ELIZA MURPHY in April 1884 in Otahuhu, Auckland. Eliza was born on 09 May 1863 in Otahuhu and was the youngest daughter of WILLIAM and JANE MURPHY. They had arrived in Auckland with their two oldest children on the Fencible Ship “Ann” in 1848.

Henry died on 11 February 1922 in Otahuhu, Auckland aged 55 years and Eliza on 19 January 1927 also in Otahuhu. They were both buried at Holy Trinity Cemetery.

GENERATION THREE:

3. ~ ~ ~ NINA ELIZA MITCHELL (HENRY > HENRY) was born on 28 October 1886 in Otahuhu, Auckland. She married WILLIAM HENRY HASLIP on 18 May 1922 at St Matthias Church in Panmure on 18 May 1922, the witnesses were William Mitchell and Gertrude J Mitchell. There is some confusion as to correct name which shows as Nina Elsa per Birth Certificate, Nina Elsie per Marriage Certificate and Death Notice, and Nina Eliza per Headstone. William was born on 16 August 1888 in Papatoetoe, Auckland and was the son of WILLIAM HENRY HASLIP and MARGARET JANE McLARNON.

Please note that in keeping with genealogy protocol I have not included information about later generations which may include living persons. If you have a family connection please contact me for further information.

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