Mickelson
A patronymic surname meaning “son of Mickel,” ultimately from a diminutive of Michael.
The #4,850 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 42,486 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Mickelson is a patronymic surname built on the personal name Mickel, a medieval pet form of Michael. Michael comes from Hebrew Mikha'el, meaning “Who is like God?” The surname therefore originally meant “son of Mickel” or “descendant of Michael.”
History
The name is especially associated with English-speaking and Scandinavian naming patterns, where patronymic surnames ending in -son became common. In the United States, Mickelson is best known through the Scandinavian-American tradition, where similar surnames were often carried over from Norway, Sweden, or Denmark. It is a less common spelling than Mickleson or Michelson, and may reflect local pronunciation or simplified spelling over time.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
The root name Michael has one of the oldest and most widespread histories of any given name in Europe, which helped generate many surname forms across different languages.