Mix

Recorded as Mex, Mix, Mixe, Mixer, Mixon, Mixon, Mixsar, Mixter, Mixture, and possibly others, this is apparently an English surname. There are two possible origins. The first is from the pre 10th century French and ultimately Latin word 'miscere' meaning to mix. It was originally occupational for a builder at a time in the medieval period when houses were built largely of wattle and daub, and 'mixing' the correct ingredients of horsehair, clay and even blood was a skilled occupation. The second possible origin is as one of the many short or nickname forms of the biblical name Michell or Michael, as Mick, Mich, Mex or Mix. Mich, introduced into Northern Europe by returning Knight Templars or crusaders, from their varied expeditions to free the Holy Land from the Muslims in the 12th century. One of the cuiosities of such names as that the majoprity were of Hebrew origins, although the subsequent surname was not for many centuries held by Jews. This particular version was well recorded in the surviving church registers of the city of London from at least the Elizabethan times, and examples include Martha Mixe, christened at St Mary Magdaklene, Bermondsey, on April 18th 1602, William Mixon, chriistened at St Giles Cripplegate on July 5th 1615, William Mixture christened on February 1st 1657 at St Botolphs without Aldgate, and Mary Mixer who married Roger Steer at St Giles Cripplegate on December 18th 1748.