NameCensus.

UK surname

Milbank

An English habitational surname derived from "mill bank", likely referring to a location near a mill on a riverbank.

In the 1881 census there were 295 people recorded with the Milbank surname, ranking it #9,842 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 235, ranked #17,530, down from #9,842 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Roxwell and Waltham, Great. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Cornwall, East Riding of Yorkshire and Richmondshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milbank is 306 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 20.3%.

1881 census count

295

Ranked #9,842

Modern count

235

2016, ranked #17,530

Peak year

1901

306 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milbank had 295 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #9,842 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016, ranked #17,530.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 306 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Milbank surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milbank surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milbank 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 172 #11,682
1861 historical 264 #9,385
1881 historical 295 #9,842
1891 historical 266 #12,169
1901 historical 306 #11,494
1911 historical 290 #11,716
1997 modern 250 #15,281
1998 modern 250 #15,675
1999 modern 241 #16,179
2000 modern 239 #16,239
2001 modern 235 #16,147
2002 modern 244 #16,085
2003 modern 237 #16,191
2004 modern 253 #15,583
2005 modern 253 #15,514
2006 modern 246 #15,907
2007 modern 248 #15,994
2008 modern 244 #16,346
2009 modern 237 #17,052
2010 modern 238 #17,323
2011 modern 240 #17,093
2012 modern 240 #16,979
2013 modern 245 #17,025
2014 modern 246 #17,079
2015 modern 237 #17,413
2016 modern 235 #17,530

Geography

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Where Milbanks are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Roxwell, Waltham, Great, St Pancras and Easter, High. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Cornwall, East Riding of Yorkshire, Richmondshire, Forest Heath and Uttlesford. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Roxwell Essex
3 Waltham, Great Essex
4 St Pancras London (North Districts)
5 Easter, High Essex

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Cornwall 035 Cornwall
2 East Riding of Yorkshire 039 East Riding of Yorkshire
3 Richmondshire 001 Richmondshire
4 Forest Heath 006 Forest Heath
5 Uttlesford 009 Uttlesford

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milbank

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milbank

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

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Rural Amenity

Nationally, the Milbank surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Milbank 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 comprises older parents or retirees, with no resident dependent children, and with the lowest residential densities in this Supergroup. Predominantly UK-born, residents typically live in detached houses, although others do live in semi-detached and terraced properties. The level of multiple car ownership is the highest in this Supergroup. Most houses are owner occupied although social renting is also present. Many concentrations occur in high amenity rural locations, such as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Milbank is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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

Mainly concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Milbank is most concentrated in decile 5 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Milbank falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Milbank 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 - British

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

Meaning and origin of Milbank

The surname Milbank is of English origin, and it is believed to have originated in the northern counties of England, particularly in Yorkshire and Northumberland, during the medieval period.

Milbank is a locational surname, derived from a place name that likely referred to a mill on a bank or a riverbank. The prefix "mil" comes from the Old English word "mylen," meaning mill, while the suffix "bank" refers to a riverbank or a raised area of land.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the surname Milbank can be found in the Cartularium Abbathiae de Rievalle, a medieval cartulary from the Rievaulx Abbey in Yorkshire, dated around 1145 AD. This document mentions a person named Galfridus de Milnebanc.

In the 13th century, the name appears in various forms, such as Milnebanc, Milnebancke, and Milbank, in records from Yorkshire and Northumberland. This suggests that the surname was already well-established in these regions during this time period.

Notable individuals with the surname Milbank include:

1. Ralph Milbank (c. 1450 - c. 1520), an English landowner and member of the gentry from Yorkshire. 2. Mark Milbank (c. 1550 - 1630), an English merchant and member of the Company of Merchant Adventurers in Newcastle upon Tyne. 3. Sir Ralph Milbank, 1st Baronet (1620 - 1681), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for Northumberland. 4. Ralph Milbank (1662 - 1748), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Northumberland. 5. Mark Milbank (1795 - 1857), an English clergyman and writer who was the rector of Brancepeth in County Durham.

The Milbank surname has also been associated with various place names in England, such as Milbank in Northumberland, which was likely named after an early bearer of the surname who lived or owned land in that area.

While the surname is of English origin, over time it has spread to other parts of the world due to migration and immigration patterns. However, the earliest recorded examples and historical references for the Milbank surname can be traced back to the northern counties of England during the medieval period.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milbank families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milbank 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. Essex leads with 130 Milbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 22.73x.

County Total Index
Essex 130 22.73x
Middlesex 67 2.31x
Surrey 37 2.62x
Yorkshire 25 0.87x
Kent 11 1.11x
Durham 9 1.04x
Suffolk 8 2.27x
Sussex 4 0.82x
Gloucestershire 2 0.35x
Channel Islands 1 1.16x
Cumberland 1 0.40x
Hampshire 1 0.17x
Lancashire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. St Pancras London in Middlesex leads with 22 Milbanks recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.43x.

Place Total Index
St Pancras London 22 9.43x
Margaret Roothing 15 6818.18x
Bermondsey 12 13.91x
Great Waltham 12 515.02x
Roxwell 12 1481.48x
High Easter 11 1392.41x
Islington London 9 3.21x
Chelmsford 8 81.55x
Clapham 8 22.09x
Great Wakering 8 625.00x
Kensington London 8 4.97x
Lambeth 7 2.77x
Snape 7 1489.36x
Bishopwearmouth 6 8.11x
Great Saling 6 1714.29x
Leyton Low 6 51.64x
Writtle 6 256.41x
Berners Roothing 5 5555.56x
Bocking 5 145.35x
Chelsea London 5 5.73x
Ipswich St Clement 5 55.74x
Little Bentley 5 1612.90x
Newington 5 63.21x
Romford 5 55.31x
Sculcoates 5 10.98x
Shoreditch London 5 3.98x
Westminster St James 5 16.79x
Eartham 4 2666.67x
Gravesend 4 47.79x
Holy Trinity 4 5.79x
Newington 4 3.74x
Witham 4 135.59x
Croydon 3 3.83x
Elvet 3 48.23x
Harlow 3 121.95x
Lee 3 20.91x
Little Baddow 3 555.56x
Tonbridge 3 8.42x
Willingale Spain 3 1428.57x
Bowling 2 7.03x
Great Dunmow 2 67.11x
Hunslet 2 4.47x
Kempsford 2 243.90x
St George Hanover 2 5.29x
St Luke London 2 4.30x
St Marylebone London 2 1.29x
Woodford 2 30.91x
Brampton 1 333.33x
Bury St Edmunds St James 1 10.60x
Epping 1 43.10x
Farnborough 1 16.03x
Grouville 1 41.84x
Hackney London 1 0.62x
Hammersmith London 1 1.40x
Hampstead London 1 2.22x
High Ongar 1 95.24x
Leatherhead 1 28.25x
Little Waltham 1 172.41x
Mile End Old Town 1 2.19x
Moulton 1 200.00x
Paddington London 1 0.94x
Prittlewell 1 12.61x
Rickergate 1 18.94x
Southwark St Saviour 1 6.72x
Springfield 1 39.84x
Streatham 1 4.65x
Teddington London 1 15.24x
Tendring 1 119.05x
Thaxted 1 52.63x
Tilty 1 1111.11x
West Ham 1 0.79x
Widnes 1 4.03x
Willesden 1 3.66x
Woolwich 1 2.74x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Elizabeth 14
Mary 14
Sarah 14
Alice 11
Jane 8
Annie 5
Catherine 5
Emma 5
Edith 4
Eliza 4
Ellen 4
Emily 4
Ann 3
Florence 3
Margaret 3
Maria 3
Susan 3
Ada 2
Caroline 2
Charlotte 2
Hannah 2
Louisa 2
Martha 2
Sophia 2
Theresa 2
Aline 1
Amelia 1
Catharine 1
Daniel 1
Eleanor 1
Elizbth. 1
Ethel 1
Fanny 1
Francis 1
Harriett 1
Harriot 1
Helen 1
Helena 1
Hester 1
Jessie 1
Julia 1
Laura 1
Levinia 1
Lizzie 1
Louise 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
M. 1
Rachel 1
W. 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 21
John 14
James 12
George 11
Thomas 9
Charles 8
Arthur 6
Walter 6
Abraham 4
Edward 4
Henry 4
Daniel 3
Frederick 3
Mark 3
Albert 2
Alfred 2
Francis 2
Joseph 2
Richard 2
Chas. 1
Christopher 1
D'ARCY 1
Elias 1
Ernest 1
Geo. 1
Godolpin 1
Herbert 1
Julius 1
Peniston 1
Powlett 1
Ralph 1
Robert 1
Sam 1
Samuel 1
Stanley 1
Sussex 1
Sydney 1
Thos.Henry 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Milbank surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milbank surname in 1881?

In 1881, 295 people were recorded with the Milbank surname. That placed it at #9,842 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milbank surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 235 in 2016. That gives Milbank a modern rank of #17,530.

What does the Milbank surname mean?

An English habitational surname derived from "mill bank", likely referring to a location near a mill on a riverbank.

What does the Milbank map show?

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