NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcmillen

A Scottish and Irish occupational surname referring to a son of a miller or mill worker.

In the 1881 census there were 206 people recorded with the Mcmillen surname, ranking it #12,596 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 153, ranked #23,408, down from #12,596 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Toxteth Park and Gateshead. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Wakefield, South Ribble and Wirral.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcmillen is 226 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 25.7%.

1881 census count

206

Ranked #12,596

Modern count

153

2016, ranked #23,408

Peak year

1851

226 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcmillen had 206 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,596 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016, ranked #23,408.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 226 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcmillen surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mcmillen surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mcmillen surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcmillen over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 226 #9,487
1861 historical 214 #11,365
1881 historical 206 #12,596
1891 historical 215 #14,155
1901 historical 202 #15,010
1911 historical 122 #20,245
1997 modern 146 #21,494
1998 modern 151 #21,578
1999 modern 157 #21,201
2000 modern 151 #21,684
2001 modern 147 #21,756
2002 modern 140 #22,876
2003 modern 138 #22,823
2004 modern 147 #22,094
2005 modern 151 #21,667
2006 modern 149 #22,013
2007 modern 139 #23,377
2008 modern 138 #23,763
2009 modern 142 #23,791
2010 modern 153 #23,175
2011 modern 149 #23,408
2012 modern 142 #24,148
2013 modern 140 #24,779
2014 modern 149 #23,969
2015 modern 147 #24,036
2016 modern 153 #23,408

Geography

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Where Mcmillens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Toxteth Park, Gateshead, Manchester and Greenock. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Wakefield, South Ribble, Wirral, Wealden and Stockport. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Toxteth Park Lancashire
3 Gateshead Durham
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Greenock Renfrew

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Wakefield 040 Wakefield
2 South Ribble 015 South Ribble
3 Wirral 039 Wirral
4 Wealden 001 Wealden
5 Stockport 027 Stockport

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcmillen

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mcmillen surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcmillen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcmillen, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcmillen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcmillen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Mcmillen is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcmillen is most concentrated in decile 9 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

9
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcmillen falls in decile 10 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcmillen is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcmillen, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcmillen

The surname MCMILLEN has its roots in Scotland, originating in the late medieval period around the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Mhaolain," which translates to "son of the tonsured one" or "son of the servant/devotee." This suggests that the name may have been initially borne by the descendants of a religious figure or someone associated with the church.

The earliest known records of the name appear in various Scottish charters and documents from the 13th and 14th centuries. For instance, a charter from the reign of King Alexander III, dated around 1249, mentions a "Gillemor MacMolane" as a witness. This spelling variation highlights the name's evolution over time.

In the 16th century, the MCMILLEN name was particularly prevalent in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles, indicating a strong presence in these areas. The surname also has connections to the MacMillan clan, with some historical accounts suggesting that the two names may have shared a common ancestry or been used interchangeably.

One notable figure bearing the MCMILLEN name was John McMillen (c. 1670-1753), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who immigrated to Ireland and later played a significant role in the establishment of the Presbyterian Church in America. He is recognized as one of the founders of the Presbytery of Philadelphia in 1706.

Another historical figure of note was Samuel McMillen (1742-1804), an American soldier and politician who served in the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. He later became a member of the Virginia House of Delegates and the United States House of Representatives.

In the 19th century, James McMillen (1838-1902) was a prominent American businessman and banker from Ohio. He founded the Ohio National Bank and served as its president for several years, contributing to the state's economic development.

Across the Atlantic, John McMillen (1855-1936) was a Scottish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Western Australia and played a role in the development of the state's mining industry.

Additionally, Edward McMillen (1886-1973) was an American artist and educator known for his landscape paintings and his contributions to the art scene in New Mexico, where he taught at the University of New Mexico.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have carried the MCMILLEN surname throughout history, contributing to various fields and leaving their mark in different parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcmillen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcmillen surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 9 Mcmillens recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.86x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 9 4.86x
Durham 4 8.62x
Cumberland 1 7.45x
Denbighshire 1 16.98x
Dumfriesshire 1 28.99x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hulme in Lancashire leads with 7 Mcmillens recorded in 1881 and an index of 181.35x.

Place Total Index
Hulme 7 181.35x
Pelton 4 1818.18x
Oldham 2 33.50x
Dumfries 1 294.12x
Llanelidan 1 2500.00x
Whitehaven 1 138.89x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mcmillen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 2
Alice 1
Emma 1
Margaret 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mcmillen surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 2
Joseph 2
Arthur 1
David 1
Jno. 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mcmillen households.

FAQ

Mcmillen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcmillen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 206 people were recorded with the Mcmillen surname. That placed it at #12,596 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcmillen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 153 in 2016. That gives Mcmillen a modern rank of #23,408.

What does the Mcmillen surname mean?

A Scottish and Irish occupational surname referring to a son of a miller or mill worker.

What does the Mcmillen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcmillen bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.