UK surname
Originally describing someone with a meek or gentle temperament.
In the 1881 census there were 22 people recorded with the Mild surname, ranking it #30,464 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 4, ranked #38,419, down from #30,464 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to Stockport, Glossop and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mild is 134 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 81.8%.
1881 census count
22
Ranked #30,464
Modern count
4
2016, ranked #38,419
Peak year
1851
134 bearers
Map years
1
1851 to 1851
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Mild surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Mild surname density by area, 1851 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 134 | #14,033 |
| 1861 | historical | 21 | #31,242 |
| 1881 | historical | 22 | #30,464 |
| 1891 | historical | 57 | #29,533 |
| 1901 | historical | 49 | #28,696 |
| 1911 | historical | 66 | #26,249 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 3 | #38,318 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2006 | modern | 3 | #38,334 |
| 2007 | modern | 3 | #38,372 |
| 2008 | modern | 4 | #38,216 |
| 2009 | modern | 4 | #38,287 |
| 2010 | modern | 4 | #38,371 |
| 2011 | modern | 2 | #38,745 |
| 2012 | modern | 2 | #38,754 |
| 2013 | modern | 4 | #38,359 |
| 2014 | modern | 6 | #38,077 |
| 2015 | modern | 4 | #38,392 |
| 2016 | modern | 4 | #38,419 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around Stockport, Glossop, Manchester, Liverpool and Coppenhall. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stockport | Cheshire |
| 2 | Glossop | Derbyshire |
| 3 | Manchester | Lancashire |
| 4 | Liverpool | Lancashire |
| 5 | Coppenhall | Cheshire |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Mild surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mild, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Mild surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Mild household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Mild is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mild is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Mild, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Mild has its origins in England and can be traced back to the 14th century. The name is derived from the Old English word 'milde', which means gentle or kind. This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive nickname given to someone with a mild or gentle personality.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Mild can be found in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1379, where a person named William Mild is mentioned. The Subsidy Rolls were tax records kept during the reign of King Richard II, indicating that people with this surname were present in Yorkshire at that time.
In the 16th century, the name appeared in various parish records across England. For example, in the parish records of St. Giles Cripplegate in London, a marriage between Thomas Mild and Margaret Horne was recorded in 1564.
The Mild surname is also found in some early English literature. In 1598, the playwright Ben Jonson included a character named Master Mild in his play "Every Man in His Humour". This suggests that the name was well-established in England by the late 16th century.
One notable bearer of the Mild surname was Sir Walter Mild, a Member of Parliament for the town of Guildford in the 17th century. He served in the English Parliament from 1628 to 1629 and was involved in the political tensions leading up to the English Civil War.
Another significant figure with the Mild surname was John Mild, an English clergyman and author who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He published several religious works, including "A Guide to the Practical Philosopher" in 1688.
In the 18th century, the Mild surname can be found in various records from the county of Gloucestershire. For instance, the parish records of Wotton-under-Edge mention the baptism of Elizabeth Mild in 1734, the daughter of John and Mary Mild.
One of the earliest known emigrants to America with the Mild surname was Thomas Mild, who arrived in Virginia in 1635. This suggests that the name had spread to the American colonies by the 17th century.
Another notable bearer of the Mild surname was Edward Mild, a British Army officer who served in the American Revolutionary War. He was born in 1744 and served as a captain in the 10th Regiment of Foot during the conflict.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mild surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 7 Milds recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.75x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Lancashire | 7 | 2.75x |
| Northumberland | 4 | 12.54x |
| Cheshire | 3 | 6.34x |
| Kent | 3 | 4.10x |
| Yorkshire | 3 | 1.41x |
| Hampshire | 1 | 2.28x |
| Surrey | 1 | 0.96x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Ponteland in Northumberland leads with 4 Milds recorded in 1881 and an index of 13333.33x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Ponteland | 4 | 13333.33x |
| Bowling | 3 | 142.86x |
| Minster In Sheppey | 3 | 247.93x |
| Macclesfield | 2 | 95.24x |
| North Meols | 2 | 80.32x |
| Wardleworth | 2 | 137.93x |
| Ashe | 1 | 10000.00x |
| Camberwell | 1 | 7.30x |
| Chester St Mary On Hill | 1 | 243.90x |
| Crompton | 1 | 138.89x |
| Hulme | 1 | 18.83x |
| Liverpool | 1 | 6.47x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mild surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mild surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Mild households.
FAQ
In 1881, 22 people were recorded with the Mild surname. That placed it at #30,464 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 4 in 2016. That gives Mild a modern rank of #38,419.
Originally describing someone with a meek or gentle temperament.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mild bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.