NameCensus.

UK surname

Milburn

Derived from a place name meaning "mill stream" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a mill.

In the 1881 census there were 2,654 people recorded with the Milburn surname, ranking it #1,671 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4,081, ranked #1,662, up from #1,671 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale and Jarrow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Northumberland and County Durham.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milburn is 4,255 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 53.8%.

1881 census count

2,654

Ranked #1,671

Modern count

4,081

2016, ranked #1,662

Peak year

2010

4,255 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milburn had 2,654 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,671 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 4,081 in 2016, ranked #1,662.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,804 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Young Families in Industrial Towns.

Milburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milburn 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 1,798 #1,606
1861 historical 1,570 #1,815
1881 historical 2,654 #1,671
1891 historical 2,687 #1,771
1901 historical 3,417 #1,628
1911 historical 3,804 #1,360
1997 modern 4,036 #1,602
1998 modern 4,178 #1,614
1999 modern 4,207 #1,618
2000 modern 4,164 #1,627
2001 modern 4,081 #1,617
2002 modern 4,193 #1,601
2003 modern 4,031 #1,637
2004 modern 4,066 #1,614
2005 modern 3,987 #1,632
2006 modern 3,981 #1,633
2007 modern 4,026 #1,631
2008 modern 4,091 #1,617
2009 modern 4,177 #1,619
2010 modern 4,255 #1,626
2011 modern 4,190 #1,631
2012 modern 4,140 #1,622
2013 modern 4,192 #1,634
2014 modern 4,201 #1,635
2015 modern 4,123 #1,653
2016 modern 4,081 #1,662

Geography

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Where Milburns are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, Allendale, Jarrow, Gateshead and Guisborough. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Northumberland and County Durham. 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 Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside Durham
2 Allendale Northumberland
3 Jarrow Durham
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Guisborough Yorkshire, North Riding

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Northumberland 007 Northumberland
2 Northumberland 040 Northumberland
3 County Durham 025 County Durham
4 County Durham 003 County Durham
5 County Durham 010 County Durham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milburn

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

Young Families in Industrial Towns

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods house predominantly young, UK-born individuals identifying with a White ethnic group with dependent children. Long-term disability and unpaid care are prevalent, and religious affiliations are uncommon. Housing is terraced or semi-detached and social rented sector housing is the norm. Unemployment is above the Supergroup average, and employment is principally in elementary occupations, as process plant and machine operatives, or in caring and leisure services. Educational attainment is low. The group is scattered throughout former industrial towns in the Midlands and the South Wales Valleys.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Milburn is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Milburn is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Milburn falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

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

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Milburn 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 Milburn, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Milburn

The surname Milburn is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is derived from the Old English words "mylen" meaning "mill" and "burna" meaning "stream" or "brook". This suggests that the name originally referred to someone who lived near a mill on a stream or brook.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in various historical documents from northern England and Scotland, where it was first established. One example is the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire from 1166, which mention a Richard de Milleburn.

In the 13th century, the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Lincolnshire, where a Robert de Milburn is listed as holding lands in 1273. Additionally, the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, include a Robert de Milburn from Berwickshire, Scotland.

The Milburn name has also been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One of the earliest was Sir John Milburn (c. 1545-1610), an English landowner and Member of Parliament for Northumberland in the late 16th century.

Another prominent individual was Ralph Milburn (1609-1698), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Brancepeth in County Durham. He published several religious works during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, William Milburn (1734-1822) was a notable English architect who designed several buildings in Newcastle upon Tyne, including the Grade I listed Mansion House.

Moving into the 19th century, Joseph Milburn (1809-1868) was a British engineer and manufacturer who played a significant role in the development of early telegraph systems.

Finally, in the 20th century, George Milburn (1907-1966) was a British politician and Labour Party Member of Parliament for Glasgow Craigton from 1945 to 1959.

While the name has evolved over time with variations in spelling, such as Milbourne and Milburne, it has maintained its connection to its original meaning and geographical roots in northern England and southern Scotland.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milburn 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. Durham leads with 818 Milburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 10.54x.

County Total Index
Durham 818 10.54x
Northumberland 655 16.88x
Cumberland 365 16.26x
Yorkshire 338 1.31x
Lancashire 113 0.37x
Middlesex 86 0.33x
Westmorland 70 12.22x
Surrey 27 0.21x
Isle of Man 20 4.13x
Hampshire 16 0.30x
Lanarkshire 16 0.19x
Wiltshire 16 0.69x
Essex 12 0.23x
Cheshire 11 0.19x
Kent 11 0.12x
Shropshire 11 0.49x
Nottinghamshire 10 0.28x
Kirkcudbrightshire 9 2.38x
Lincolnshire 9 0.22x
Cambridgeshire 8 0.48x
Warwickshire 5 0.08x
Derbyshire 4 0.10x
Glamorgan 4 0.09x
Staffordshire 4 0.05x
Sussex 4 0.09x
Berkshire 3 0.15x
Hertfordshire 3 0.17x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.58x
Leicestershire 3 0.10x
Midlothian 3 0.09x
Argyllshire 2 0.28x
Devon 2 0.04x
Dumfriesshire 2 0.35x
Royal Navy 2 0.64x
Suffolk 2 0.06x
Ayrshire 1 0.05x
Brecknockshire 1 0.19x
Dorset 1 0.06x
Gloucestershire 1 0.02x
Northamptonshire 1 0.04x
Somerset 1 0.02x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bishopwearmouth in Durham leads with 77 Milburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.56x.

Place Total Index
Bishopwearmouth 77 11.56x
Guisbrough 72 127.52x
Gateshead 66 11.36x
Allendale 50 139.00x
Crook Billy Row 47 47.31x
Elswick 47 15.18x
Westoe 46 10.46x
Westgate 45 18.73x
Cramlington 39 76.07x
Middlesbrough 38 11.29x
Stanhope 38 47.44x
Monkwearmouth Shore 36 23.77x
Medomsley 35 96.74x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 34 14.67x
Tynemouth 31 14.92x
Leeds 27 1.85x
Whickham 27 37.83x
Hexham 26 43.30x
Hackney London 25 1.71x
St Cuthbert W O 25 22.85x
Wetheral 25 84.09x
Stockton On Tees 24 6.42x
Haydon 23 108.39x
Birtley 22 645.16x
Cumwhitton 22 491.07x
Usworth 20 48.56x
East West Charlton 19 798.32x
Tanfield 19 20.60x
Conside Knitsley 18 29.84x
Bridekirk 16 89.24x
Hayton 16 125.69x
Newton Cap 16 132.89x
Collierley 15 43.40x
Lambeth 15 0.66x
Newcastle On Tyne St 15 7.46x
Preston Quarter 15 23.84x
Seaton 15 57.27x
Stranton 15 5.74x
Wolsingham 15 21.22x
Brampton 14 45.48x
Chelsea London 14 1.78x
Dalton In Furness 14 11.72x
Heworth 14 9.16x
Toxteth Park 14 1.34x
Hesket In Forest 13 74.20x
Rickergate 13 27.37x
Tudhoe 13 19.15x
Whitburn 13 71.90x
Alston 12 29.01x
Brandon Byshottles 12 12.35x
Cowpen 12 13.43x
Long Marton 12 187.50x
Ryton Woodside 12 124.10x
Evenwood Barony 11 41.71x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 11 3.27x
Underbarrow Bradley 11 265.70x
Chirton 10 11.39x
Cleator 10 10.70x
Crosscanonby 10 13.47x
Ebchester 10 83.26x
Egremont 10 18.68x
North Seaton 10 61.46x
Onchan 10 7.17x
Ruswarp Hawsker Cum 10 156.49x
St Pancras London 10 0.48x
Whitehaven 10 8.36x
Winkbourn 10 847.46x
Everton 9 0.91x
Haswell 9 16.19x
Hulme 9 1.39x
Keswick 9 31.36x
Kildale 9 358.57x
Lancaster 9 4.89x
Longhurst 9 119.68x
Moresby 9 105.26x
Ryton 9 33.02x
Seghill 9 47.32x
Workington 9 7.00x
York St Mary 9 8.41x
York St Maurice 9 18.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 228
Elizabeth 147
Jane 111
Margaret 94
Sarah 87
Ann 79
Isabella 67
Hannah 52
Annie 27
Ellen 22
Catherine 18
Dorothy 18
Martha 18
Alice 17
Eleanor 14
Frances 14
Eliza 11
Emily 11
Anne 9
Emma 8
Harriet 7
Louisa 7
Mabel 6
Margret 6
Maria 6
Ada 5
Barbara 5
Edith 5
Esther 5
Ethel 5
Grace 5
Maggie 5
Margt. 5
Minnie 5
Agnes 4
Amelia 4
Caroline 4
Charlotte 4
Florence 4
Henrietta 4
Lucy 4
Ruth 4
Adelaide 3
Amy 3
Christina 3
Dora 3
Elisabeth 3
Elizth. 3
Fanny 3
Rebecca 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 232
William 196
Thomas 145
Joseph 106
George 92
Robert 72
James 71
Edward 31
Henry 29
Isaac 19
Jacob 15
Matthew 15
Charles 13
Alfred 12
Richard 11
Arthur 9
Thos. 9
Tom 9
Anthony 8
Ralph 7
Ernest 6
Frederick 6
Robt. 6
Wm. 6
Edwin 5
Jonathan 5
Miles 5
David 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Geo. 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Jno. 4
Peter 4
Samuel 4
Albert 3
Andrew 3
Christopher 3
Fred 3
Hudson 3
Jeffrey 3
Jos. 3
Nicholas 3
Philip 3
Phillip 3
Roger 3
Alexander 2
Bartholomew 2
Chas. 2

FAQ

Milburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 2,654 people were recorded with the Milburn surname. That placed it at #1,671 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 4,081 in 2016. That gives Milburn a modern rank of #1,662.

What does the Milburn surname mean?

Derived from a place name meaning "mill stream" in Old English, referring to someone who lived near a mill.

What does the Milburn map show?

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