The investigation of the Mitchenall surname started in the late 1990's but was only registered as a One-Name Study in 2021. If your surname is Mitchenall, then all evidence points to us being related - all identified Mitchenalls living worldwide descend from a marriage in Edenbridge, Kent, in 1821.   

I grew up aware that my surname was unusual, and with few relatives of the same name. I was aware of family roots in the Edenbridge area of Kent, but not the roots of the name.

The study now includes all the Mitchenalls who have been identified world wide, although my Website only identifies deceased members of the family due to Data Protection.

There are historically a number of misspellings of the name Mitchenall, and some derivatives.

Mitchenor seems to be a derivative, rather than a variant, and has a separate identity for a very long time. I have discovered no direct links between the descendants.

Mychenall and the use of "y" to replace the "it" is common in earlier records, and some variants also include the H of hall in Mychenhall. 

Recorded historical spellings between 1178 and 1650 include Michenall, Mychynall, Michinalls, Muchelehala, Muchelhale, Michelhale, Munchenhale, Muchenhale, Michenhale, Mychenall and (Henry de) Michenhale , 

The name Mitchenall is locative, or at least, all evidence points to this.  The name originates from Shackleford in Surrey, where can be found Mitchen Hall. The Village and Parish Site of Elstead close by includes references to Mychenalls  dating from 1596. 

There are earlier references too. The most helpful is from the  Bletchingley Parish history, which confirms the names origin. This quotes, in 1358, that "Henry de Michenhale is new and has remained in Michenall's (or Mitchenor's) Farm; Mitchenall being a "place name in Godalming parish, 7 whence perhaps Henry came." This confirms that the name is "of Michen Hall", and that Henry is thought to have come from near Godalming . Michen Hall goes back even further, with the name Muchelehala recorded in 1178 (in the Survey of English Place Names )

The name is thus considered to derive from Mitchen Hall, and the necessary adoption of surnames in about the 14th Century. The nomenclature "of Michen Hall " was adopted into the surname "Mitchenall" and its various misspellings. Historic references are made to the Mitchenall Estate  until the sale of the property in 1944 - see the History of Peper Harow, - specificalay the sale of Mitchen Hall.

The term Mitchen itself may possibly have its origins in bread making - but this does not obviously tie in with Mitchen Hall.

Mitchenall has never been a common surname - the historic refences in identifying the source of the surname being the most found to date. Surrey Archives include much early Mitchenall activity around the Elstead area - but nothing of historic significance. The Mitchenalls have never been "high-profile". Signing registers, paying debts, making wills and the usual references to births, marriages and deaths dominate the study. 

All modern occurrences of the name Mitchenall stem from the marriage of William Mitchenall (1793 - 1865) and Mary Winter (1791 - 1878) in 1821, in Edenbridge, Kent. There are currently about 50 people with the surname, mainly in the southern half of England, but with a small cluster in the United States. Whilst other arms of the family existed into the 20th Century, by the turn of the millenium in 2000 only William and Mary's ancestors (carrying the name Mitchenall) exist anywhere worldwide. 

Kent, Surrey, Hampshire, Worcestershire, SE London and USA states around Michigan / Chicago.