NameCensus.

UK surname

Milan

A habitational surname referring to someone from the city of Milan, Italy.

In the 1881 census there were 146 people recorded with the Milan surname, ranking it #15,752 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 407, ranked #11,735, up from #15,752 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Richmond, London parishes and Doncaster. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, Cowlairs and Port Dundas and Forest Heath.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milan is 430 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 178.8%.

1881 census count

146

Ranked #15,752

Modern count

407

2016, ranked #11,735

Peak year

2014

430 bearers

Map years

8

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milan had 146 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #15,752 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 407 in 2016, ranked #11,735.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 214 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Milan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milan 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 95 #17,707
1861 historical 182 #12,949
1881 historical 146 #15,752
1891 historical 139 #19,311
1901 historical 177 #16,342
1911 historical 214 #14,333
1997 modern 295 #13,680
1998 modern 333 #12,964
1999 modern 329 #13,147
2000 modern 326 #13,188
2001 modern 316 #13,258
2002 modern 341 #12,864
2003 modern 327 #13,046
2004 modern 320 #13,311
2005 modern 320 #13,243
2006 modern 329 #13,044
2007 modern 351 #12,571
2008 modern 347 #12,786
2009 modern 359 #12,714
2010 modern 386 #12,330
2011 modern 397 #11,921
2012 modern 410 #11,518
2013 modern 406 #11,790
2014 modern 430 #11,323
2015 modern 405 #11,800
2016 modern 407 #11,735

Geography

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Where Milans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Richmond, London parishes, Doncaster, Manchester and Lambeth. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, Cowlairs and Port Dundas, Forest Heath and Welwyn Hatfield. 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 Richmond Surrey
2 London parishes London 3
3 Doncaster Yorkshire, West Riding
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Lambeth London (South Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 060 Cornwall
2 Cowlairs and Port Dundas Glasgow City
3 Forest Heath 002 Forest Heath
4 Cornwall 066 Cornwall
5 Welwyn Hatfield 016 Welwyn Hatfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Milan, 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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Milan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Milan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Milan is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Milan is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Milan falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Milan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 50-60 mbit/s.

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

8
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Milan

The surname MILAN is of Italian origin, originating from the city of Milan in the Lombardy region of northern Italy. This name derives from the Latin name Mediolanum, which means "in the middle of the plain."

The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the Middle Ages. The Milanese family was a prominent noble family in the region during this time. One notable member was Matteo Visconti (1250-1322), who became the Lord of Milan in 1287.

The name is also found in medieval records from other parts of Europe, such as the Domesday Book of England from 1086. This suggests that individuals with the surname may have migrated from Italy to other regions during this period.

In the 14th century, a branch of the MILAN family settled in the town of Volterra in the Tuscany region of Italy. One member, Francesco MILAN (1310-1378), was a renowned painter and architect who worked on the construction of the Palazzo dei Priori in Volterra.

Another notable figure with the surname was Giovanni MILAN (1560-1623), an Italian composer and lutenist who served at the court of the Medici family in Florence during the Renaissance.

In the 18th century, a MILAN family emigrated from Italy to Spain, where they became influential in the wine trade. One member, Antonio MILAN (1745-1819), established a successful winery in the Rioja region.

During the 19th century, several individuals with the surname MILAN made significant contributions in various fields. These include the French mathematician Gaspard MILAN (1805-1872), who studied the theory of differential equations, and the Italian artist Giuseppe MILAN (1823-1901), known for his landscape paintings.

The surname MILAN has also been associated with notable figures in more recent history, such as the Italian novelist and playwright Gian Dario MILAN (1920-2003) and the Spanish football player and manager Fabio MILAN (born 1971).

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milan 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. Middlesex leads with 36 Milans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.53x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 36 2.53x
Yorkshire 35 2.48x
Surrey 19 2.74x
Lancashire 12 0.71x
Cheshire 9 2.86x
Hampshire 7 2.40x
Angus 5 3.79x
Oxfordshire 5 5.69x
Cornwall 4 2.48x
Sussex 4 1.67x
Lincolnshire 3 1.32x
Dumfriesshire 2 6.36x
Durham 1 0.24x
Essex 1 0.36x
Hertfordshire 1 1.02x
Kent 1 0.21x
Shropshire 1 0.81x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Doncaster in Yorkshire leads with 14 Milans recorded in 1881 and an index of 135.79x.

Place Total Index
Doncaster 14 135.79x
Twickenham 10 163.67x
Cheadle 8 133.33x
Kingston On Thames 8 47.99x
Dogmersfield 7 5000.00x
Lambeth 7 5.64x
Poplar London 7 26.04x
Thornaby 7 132.83x
Lockwood 6 118.11x
Manchester 6 7.89x
Brightside Bierlow 5 18.06x
Cowley 5 181.82x
Hampton London 5 213.68x
Liff Benvie 4 19.97x
Ealing 3 23.57x
Richmond 3 30.86x
St Gluvias Penryn 3 232.56x
Bridlington 2 61.92x
Dumfries 2 64.52x
Enfield 2 21.41x
New Shoreham 2 138.89x
Over Darwen 2 14.81x
St Marylebone London 2 2.63x
St Michael Lincoln 2 322.58x
St Pancras London 2 1.74x
Sunbury 2 116.96x
Toxteth Park 2 3.50x
Arbroath 1 22.88x
Ardwick 1 6.56x
Birkenhead 1 3.99x
Brighton 1 2.06x
Camberwell 1 1.10x
Falmouth 1 17.51x
Greenwich 1 4.41x
Kingston By Sea 1 263.16x
Leyton Low 1 17.51x
Market Weighton Arras 1 108.70x
Mile End Old Town 1 4.45x
Monkwearmouth Shore 1 12.09x
St Maryle Wigford 1 56.50x
Stanton Long 1 769.23x
Warrington 1 4.99x
Watford 1 13.14x
Westminster St James 1 6.83x
Westminster St John 1 5.77x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 7
William 6
Arthur 5
James 5
Charles 4
Thomas 4
George 3
Patrick 2
Richard 2
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
Ernest 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Fredrick 1
Harry 1
Henry 1
Herbert 1
Martin 1
Michael 1
Micheal 1
Percy 1
Peter 1
Richd.V. 1
Ruebin 1
Sarah 1
Thos.R. 1
Wiliam 1

FAQ

Milan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 146 people were recorded with the Milan surname. That placed it at #15,752 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 407 in 2016. That gives Milan a modern rank of #11,735.

What does the Milan surname mean?

A habitational surname referring to someone from the city of Milan, Italy.

What does the Milan map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Milan 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.