This interesting surname is of English locational origin from either Micklehamin in Surrey or Micklam in Cumberland. The placename derives from the old English pre 7th Century "micel" or "mycel" meaning large or big plus "ham" village, estate, manor or homestead; hence "large village or homestead". The surname is first recorded in the latter half of the 13th Century (see below). One, John de Mykelham, appears in the 1327 Subsidy Rolls of Sussex and Fraunces Mycklem, is noted in the Register of Bisham, Berkshire 1561. In the modern idiom, the surname has many variant spellings including Micklem, Miklem, Micklam, Maklem, etc.. Recordings of the variants of the surname include; Charlotte, daughter of John and Frances Mickleim, who was christened on June 14th 1799, at St. John Hackney, London; on December 28th 1800, George Gould, son of John and Ann Micklam was christened at St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Westminster; John, son of George and Mary Micklen was christened on September 29th 1808 at St. Nicholas, Whitehaven, Cumberland; and on August 21st 1825, George, son of William and Sarah Mickling was christened at St. Mary, Carlisle, Cumberland. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of John de Mychelham which was dated 1296, the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex, during the reign of King Edward 1, "the Hammer of the Scots", 1272 - 1307. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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