Daily AncestorMich.
Mich. in a name column is an old abbreviation of the first name Michael, not the state of Michigan.
Clerks shortened Michael to Mich. or Michl, sometimes writing the last letters raised above the line. You meet it in church registers, wills and census name columns.
The same letters in a birthplace or residence column mean Michigan. Position on the page tells you which: Mich. Burke in the name column is a man, while Mich. under place of birth is the state.
As seen in a recordName column of the 1860 census
Mich. Burke, 36, Laborer, Ireland
Sources
How to cite this page
Daily Ancestor. "Mich.." Dictionary of Old Record Words. https://dailyancestor.com/dictionary/abbreviations/mich-michael. Last checked 2026-10-10.