NameCensus.

UK surname

Mill

An occupational surname referring to someone who worked in or owned a mill, such as a grain mill.

In the 1881 census there were 1,813 people recorded with the Mill surname, ranking it #2,402 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,412, ranked #4,324, down from #2,402 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Illogan, Arbroath and St. Vigeans and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, Douglas West and Caithness North West.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mill is 3,291 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 22.1%.

1881 census count

1,813

Ranked #2,402

Modern count

1,412

2016, ranked #4,324

Peak year

1861

3,291 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mill had 1,813 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,402 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,412 in 2016, ranked #4,324.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 3,291 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Mill surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mill 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 2,565 #1,152
1861 historical 3,291 #867
1881 historical 1,813 #2,402
1891 historical 2,240 #2,082
1901 historical 1,761 #2,948
1911 historical 1,182 #3,964
1997 modern 1,405 #4,129
1998 modern 1,385 #4,315
1999 modern 1,377 #4,363
2000 modern 1,337 #4,457
2001 modern 1,237 #4,684
2002 modern 1,265 #4,693
2003 modern 1,234 #4,698
2004 modern 1,213 #4,770
2005 modern 1,234 #4,650
2006 modern 1,254 #4,591
2007 modern 1,265 #4,591
2008 modern 1,287 #4,552
2009 modern 1,322 #4,540
2010 modern 1,363 #4,507
2011 modern 1,337 #4,524
2012 modern 1,352 #4,421
2013 modern 1,353 #4,491
2014 modern 1,382 #4,434
2015 modern 1,383 #4,393
2016 modern 1,412 #4,324

Geography

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Where Mills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Illogan, Arbroath and St. Vigeans, London parishes, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Glens, Douglas West, Caithness North West, Whitfield and Craigie and Craigiebank. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Illogan Cornwall
2 Arbroath and St. Vigeans Forfar
3 London parishes London 3
4 Edinburgh Edinburgh
5 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Glens Dundee City
2 Douglas West Dundee City
3 Caithness North West Highland
4 Whitfield Dundee City
5 Craigie and Craigiebank Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mill

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mill

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Mill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Mill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Mill 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

Mill 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

Mill falls in decile 7 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.

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Mill

The surname MILL is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "myln," which referred to a mill or a grinding house. The name was likely first adopted by individuals who worked in or lived near mills, which were essential structures in medieval settlements for grinding grain and other materials.

During the Middle Ages, the surname MILL began to appear in various historical records and documents. One of the earliest known references is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where several individuals with the surname MILL or its variants, such as Milne or Milner, were listed as landowners or tenants in various counties of England.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de la Mille residing in Oxfordshire, England, in 1273. Similarly, the name John atte Mulle was documented in Sussex in 1296. These early spellings reflect the evolving nature of surnames during that time period and the influence of regional dialects on their pronunciation and written form.

Notable individuals with the surname MILL throughout history include:

1. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), a renowned British philosopher, political economist, and influential thinker of the 19th century. 2. Walter de la Mill (c. 1138-1194), an English prelate who served as Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of Vienne in France. 3. Humphrey Mill (1647-1708), an English writer and playwright known for his tragedies and comedies during the Restoration period. 4. James Mill (1773-1836), a Scottish historian, economist, and philosophical writer, and the father of John Stuart Mill. 5. Andrew Mill (1775-1853), a Scottish historian and professor of divinity at the University of Edinburgh.

The surname MILL has also been associated with various place names derived from mills or mill-related locations. Examples include Mill Hill in London, Millbrook in Hampshire, and Milltown in numerous counties across England and Wales.

Over the centuries, the MILL surname has spread across the English-speaking world, carried by migrants and descendants of those who originally bore the name. While its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, the surname MILL has become a part of the diverse tapestry of family names found in many countries today.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mill 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. Angus leads with 421 Mills recorded in 1881 and an index of 25.79x.

County Total Index
Angus 421 25.79x
Midlothian 170 7.20x
Cornwall 153 7.67x
Fife 107 10.26x
Middlesex 106 0.60x
Devon 81 2.21x
Lancashire 77 0.37x
Surrey 63 0.73x
Lanarkshire 61 1.07x
Perthshire 61 7.71x
Caithness 59 24.46x
Staffordshire 36 0.61x
Yorkshire 29 0.17x
Durham 27 0.52x
Kent 27 0.45x
Hampshire 26 0.72x
Berwickshire 22 10.31x
Renfrewshire 20 1.46x
Glamorgan 19 0.62x
Clackmannanshire 16 11.00x
Warwickshire 15 0.34x
Derbyshire 13 0.47x
Essex 13 0.37x
Morayshire 12 4.38x
Aberdeenshire 11 0.67x
Argyllshire 11 2.24x
Nottinghamshire 11 0.46x
Selkirkshire 9 5.65x
Banffshire 8 2.19x
Gloucestershire 8 0.23x
Hertfordshire 8 0.66x
Nairnshire 8 14.88x
West Lothian 7 2.64x
Ayrshire 6 0.46x
Cheshire 6 0.15x
Leicestershire 6 0.31x
Northumberland 6 0.23x
Royal Navy 6 2.86x
Somerset 6 0.21x
Worcestershire 6 0.26x
Shropshire 5 0.33x
Stirlingshire 5 0.77x
Kinross-shire 4 8.98x
Sussex 4 0.13x
Channel Islands 3 0.57x
Ross-shire 3 0.62x
Roxburghshire 3 0.94x
Suffolk 3 0.14x
Berkshire 2 0.15x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.19x
East Lothian 2 0.86x
Kincardineshire 2 0.93x
Lincolnshire 2 0.07x
Peeblesshire 2 2.41x
Bedfordshire 1 0.11x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.09x
Denbighshire 1 0.15x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.21x
Inverness-shire 1 0.19x
Norfolk 1 0.04x
Wiltshire 1 0.06x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dundee in Angus leads with 165 Mills recorded in 1881 and an index of 27.08x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 165 27.08x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 105 11.06x
Illogan 72 136.34x
St Vigeans 68 77.19x
Barony 45 3.12x
Arbroath 42 77.65x
Liff Benvie 33 13.32x
St Pancras London 28 1.97x
Thurso 25 66.45x
West Greenock 18 7.35x
Camborne 17 20.69x
Kirriemuir 17 42.22x
Perth East Church 17 22.80x
Stoke Climsland 16 125.59x
Camberwell 14 1.24x
Abroath St Vigeans 13 193.74x
Halkirk 13 79.66x
Toxteth Park 13 1.84x
Ashton Under Lyne 12 2.63x
Aston 12 0.98x
Clackmannan 12 43.64x
Cupar 12 26.46x
Olrig 12 99.59x
Deptford St Paul 10 2.16x
Holsworthy 10 96.62x
Kirkcaldy 10 19.33x
Longforgan 10 89.45x
Newark Upon Trent 10 11.72x
Redruth 10 17.72x
Walton On Thames 10 25.37x
Wolverhampton 10 2.19x
Aberdour 9 85.63x
Alverstoke 9 6.89x
Beath 9 27.31x
Collessie 9 74.94x
Glasgow 9 0.89x
Hampstead London 9 3.28x
Kilmallie 9 35.67x
Monifieth 9 15.61x
Monkwearmouth Shore 9 8.80x
Newton St Petrock 9 647.48x
Paddington London 9 1.39x
Bromley London 8 2.06x
Clase 8 7.01x
Clovelly 8 167.36x
Crook Billy Row 8 11.92x
Dalgety 8 100.38x
Forfar 8 9.05x
Handsworth 8 5.46x
Inverkeithing 8 50.89x
Keith 8 20.53x
Lambeth 8 0.52x
Legerwood 8 237.39x
Leuchars 8 60.65x
Melrose 8 19.95x
Minster 8 295.20x
Poulton Barre 8 33.64x
St George In East 8 6.68x
Abbotsham 7 246.48x
Brechin 7 10.91x
Buxton 7 29.99x
Currie 7 48.44x
Kenwyn 7 13.42x
Kilkhampton 7 119.05x
Liverpool 7 0.55x
Perth St Pauls 7 38.23x
Portsea 7 0.99x
Scone 7 49.82x
Southampton St Mary 7 3.08x
St John Near Swansea 7 18.46x
Uphall 7 23.99x
Colinton 6 22.80x
Cramond 6 33.54x
Dysart 6 8.54x
Edinburgh High Church 6 40.51x
Hammersmith London 6 1.38x
North Leith 6 5.49x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 1.69x
St George Hanover 6 2.61x
Westruther 6 147.78x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 53
John 52
George 26
Thomas 26
James 23
Charles 19
Henry 12
Richard 12
Alfred 11
Robert 10
Albert 8
Edward 7
Joseph 7
David 6
Alexander 5
Samuel 5
Walter 5
Arthur 4
Edwin 4
Frank 4
Gabriel 3
Harry 3
Joshua 3
Adam 2
Edgar 2
Ernest 2
Fred 2
Jno. 2
Malcolm 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Rendell 2
Sydney 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Anthony 1
Benjaman 1
Christopher 1
Daniel 1
Elvy 1
Ephraim 1
Francis 1
Frederick 1
Fredk. 1
Jame 1
Jas. 1
Jethro 1
Joe 1
Jonathan 1
Zohram 1

FAQ

Mill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,813 people were recorded with the Mill surname. That placed it at #2,402 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,412 in 2016. That gives Mill a modern rank of #4,324.

What does the Mill surname mean?

An occupational surname referring to someone who worked in or owned a mill, such as a grain mill.

What does the Mill map show?

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