Michael: Regarding the origins of the Mims (Mimms)name, the name experts have found the name to be somewhat of a puzzle. It is a very old name and it is listed in the Domesday Book which was the tax survey done for William the Conqueror. The Mims area was know as Mimmine in that day and age. The name has been spelled various ways over the years (Mims, Mimms, Mymms etc.) and "Mims" happens to be the common spelling in the 1600's when the first Mims possibly arrived in Virginia. I have read where some name experts think it may be an old Anglo-Saxon tribal name. From what I have read Mims was a place name. Our ancestors took the name when surnames became common, but Mims existed as a place before that time. You start to see references to the surname in old English records in the 1200's, and 1300's (Ralph de Mymms etc.). There are still quite a few "Mimms" folks living in England today. North Mymmes and South Mimms are little parishes located to the Northwest of London and the community actually has a very nice website: http://www.brookmans.com/ Hope this helps! -Steve Mims in Idaho