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Introduction

The Mizell family has been on the North American continent since the 1600s, well before the American Revolution. The family name seems to originate from France. If you are seeking more information about your ancestors, this could be a useful source. Variations in the spelling of the last name over the years have led to relatives with names like Mizzell and Mizelle. There appear to be three branches of the family, outlined below:

Luke Mizell came to Jamestown Virginia between 1632 and 1635 as an indentured servant. He may have been an orphan in England before this, one of many French Huguenots who fled their homeland to escape religious persecution. He gained his freedom around 1640 and married in 1647. He and his wife Deborah had two sons Lawrence born 1651 and Luke II born 1660. He died in 1670. There are many descendants from Luke. ? Learn more about Luke Mizell.

John Mizell first appears in North Carolina in the early 1700s. Speculation has John as the son of one of Luke’s descendants, who had moved from Virginia southward into North Carolina around that time. However, there is little documentation to link him to the Luke line. It seems possible that John was another French Huguenot, not descended from Luke, who found his way to the New World. He was born around 1690 and died in North Carolina in 1747. He had several sons and at least one daughter, with many descendants. ? Learn more about John Mizell.

Joseph Henri Mizell was born in France in 1727 and came to Charleston, South Carolina in the 1780s. This was the time leading up to the French Revolution, when there was much unrest at home and incentives to find a new life elsewhere. He brought a wife and seven children to South Carolina. Joseph Henri died in 1804 and has had many descendants. ? Learn more about Joseph Henri Mizell.

Generations Summary

Since Luke and Deborah, there have been 14 generations descended to today. Since John there have been 11 or 12 generations and since Joseph Henri, 10 or 11 generations. Many family members have been able to trace their ancestors back to known descendants of Luke, John or Joseph Henri. Numerous variations in the spelling of the Mizell name have occurred during these generations, so that people that spell their last name differently can still be descended from one of these branches.

The history of the Mizell family is a history of the South. The early family members lived in Virginia in the 1600s, lived in North and South Carolina, Georgia and Florida in the 1700s, and in the 1800s moved westward into Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi and several other states.

Some of the early Mizells owned slaves before the civil war, who took the family name when they gained their freedom. African Americans who can trace their ancestors back to the 1800s can gain insights to their early families by looking at the Mizell history.

A Look at the Past / A Look at the Future

The Past

You can get information about the early Mizells at this web site. Many amateur genealogists are researching the Mizell name, both to find their own ancestors as well as to understand the ancestors of spouses and other relatives.
Many early ancestors were solid contributors to their pioneering communities, and there is a great heritage to be proud of. Like all families with many, many generations, the Mizells have people who were notorious for various reasons. There is much to learn if you care to invest some effort, and some of it will make you sad and some of it will make you smile.

There are many versions about how and where the early Mizells came to the New World. The history of the family presented here is supported by significant evidence developed over the years by many researchers, as well as some speculation. There is certainly more to discover about the family’s early years in the New World.

The Future

There are more people today working to research the history of the Mizell name in all its variations, AND to research the spouses of Mizells. There are indeed many generations to investigate. Thanks to all of your questions, submissions, suggestions and tips, this web-site will improve over time.

[Dot]Com vs. [Dot]Info

Why isn’t this site Mizell[dot]com? This simple answer is this is not a “commercial” web site! We live in the Information Age, so this web site is dedicated to information. So Mizell[dot]info is it!