MITCHELSON

What may have been our original family name, Mitchelson, means ‘son of Michael’. The forename Michael is derived from the angelic head of the Israelites. In the Middle Ages the pronunciation of Michael was close to the French Michel,  leading to Mitchell.  Between 1270 and 1350 surnames from personal names with the ending -son became very common in Yorkshire and Lancashire. They were usually the sons of either small free tenants, or of unfree tenants, and hardly ever the names of substantial landowners.  The first documented example of the surname in question was Roger Michelson (1383).  

Christopher Midgley may well have been the son of John Mitchelson and his spouse Margaret, nee Frear. 

Huttons Ambo Bishop's Transcripts.

1. John Mitchelson  and Margaret Frear both of the parish of Huttons Ambo were married in this church by banns this eighth day of Jan 1757…. in presence of Richard Richardson, Thomas Woffinden, Mick Bridges (curate), John Couts & Robert Etty (church wardens).        

2. Christopher (baptism) the son of John Mitchelson of Welburn schoolmaster 17 Feb 1758.

3. 1798 John son of Christopher Mitchison baptised November 5  

[note within a month of the wedding of Christopher and Mary Layton - may explain why they went for a special licence rather than wait 3 weeks for the banns to be read!].

Names at the same place on Acklam land tax assessment forms in successive years.