2000
#6,818
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,550
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.69
Rare Last name
Mitchem
Derived from a place name meaning "big settlement" in Old English.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 5,008 Americans carry the last name Mitchem. That puts it at #7,363 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 68,441 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mitchem surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mitchem with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
5.0K
1 in 68,441
Census rank
#7,363
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
4.4K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 4,367 bearers of the surname Mitchem in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 7363rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mitchem, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Black (15.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mitchem
The surname Mitchem is of English origin and can be traced back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "micce" meaning "big" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village". This suggests that the name may have referred to someone who lived in a large village or settlement.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mitchem can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire from the year 1195, where it appears as "Mycham". This spelling variation is likely due to the evolution of the name over time and the lack of standardized spelling during the medieval period.
The Mitchem name has also been linked to various place names in England, such as Mitcham in Surrey and Mitcham in Somerset. These places may have been named after early bearers of the Mitchem surname, or the surname may have derived from the place name itself.
In the 13th century, a notable figure named William de Mitcham is mentioned in the Feet of Fines records for Warwickshire. These records document the transfer of land ownership, indicating that the Mitcham family held property during this time.
During the 14th century, the Mitchem name appeared in several historical documents, including the Poll Tax Returns of 1377 and the Subsidy Rolls of 1381. These records provide valuable insight into the distribution and prevalence of the name across different regions of England.
One of the most prominent individuals bearing the Mitchem surname was Sir John Mitchem (1530-1609), a successful merchant and politician who served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1599. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers, a prestigious livery company in the City of London.
Another notable figure was Thomas Mitchem (1567-1641), an English clergyman who served as the Dean of Chichester Cathedral during the reign of King James I. He was known for his scholarly works and contributions to theological studies.
In the 18th century, a prominent family with the Mitchem surname resided in Gloucestershire. One member, William Mitchem (1712-1789), was a successful landowner and philanthropist, known for his support of local charities and educational institutions.
The Mitchem name has also been associated with various literary works and historical accounts, further cementing its place in English history and culture. While the name may have evolved over time, its origins and historical significance remain an integral part of its rich heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mitchem
Among Census respondents with the surname Mitchem, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Black (15.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mitchem bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mitchem surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White76.0% · 3,320
- Black or African American15.8% · 692
- Two or more races4.9% · 214
- Hispanic or Latino2.3% · 101
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 24
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 16
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mitchem
Mitchem appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#6,793
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,965
+415 bearers (+9.1%)
Per 100,000 1.68
Rank movement Up 25 places
2020
#7,363
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 4,367
-598 bearers (-12.0%)
Per 100,000 1.46
Rank movement Down 570 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #6,818 | 4,550 | 1.69 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,793 | 4,965 | 1.68 | +415 bearers (+9.1%) | Up 25 places |
| 2020 | #7,363 | 4,367 | 1.46 | -598 bearers (-12.0%) | Down 570 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mitchem surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,793 | #7,363 | -8.4% |
| Count | 4,965 | 4,367 | -12.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.68 | 1.46 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mitchem bearers went from 4,965 to 4,367 (-12.0% change). The surname moved down 570 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,793 to #7,363.
FAQ
Mitchem surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mitchem?
Name Census estimates that about 5,008 living Americans carry the surname Mitchem. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 68,441 residents.
How common is Mitchem?
Mitchem ranks #7,363 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.46 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 4,367 people with the surname Mitchem. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (5,008), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.46 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.46 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mitchem.
Has Mitchem become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mitchem went from 4,965 recorded bearers to 4,367. That is a decrease of 598 (-12.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,793 to #7,363.
What does the Census say about the background of Mitchem?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mitchem, the largest self-reported group is White at 76.0%. The next largest groups are Black (15.8%) and Two or More Races (4.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mitchem in the 2020 Census, accounting for 76.0% (3,320 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mitchem appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (76.0%), Black (15.8%), Two or More Races (4.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mitchem (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mitchem mean?
Derived from a place name meaning "big settlement" in Old English. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mitchem (1.46 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Mitchem?
If you just want to know how many people have the last name Mitchem, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.