- Form of Michael
- Means “a gift from God” or “like unto God”
- Popular as both a given name and a last name
More history of the name Mitchell
The name Mitchell, Mitchel or Mitchill, as it is occasionally spelled, is probably derived from Michael, once a more popular first name than it is at present. In Ireland, to be sure, Michael is still one of the most usual names given in baptism.
It is a name of Hebrew origin meaning “like unto God,” and first appears in the Bible as the name of the father of one of David’s captains.
There is another theory concerning the origin of the name, which is that it is derived from the Anglo-Saxon word myeel, meaning great, the same root being found in mickle, which you may have heard Scotch people use instead of much.
There is evidence, however, that the name is really derived from Michael, is brought forth the last name Mitchelsen, son of Mitchel, which would indicate that Mitchel is really the equivalent of a first name, and that first name is Michael.
