NameCensus.

UK surname

Millar

A Scottish occupational surname referring to someone who worked in a mill or was a miller.

In the 1881 census there were 11,013 people recorded with the Millar surname, ranking it #388 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 14,848, ranked #428, down from #388 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include The Glens, South Angus and Chirnside and Area.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millar is 14,995 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 34.8%.

1881 census count

11,013

Ranked #388

Modern count

14,848

2016, ranked #428

Peak year

2010

14,995 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Millar had 11,013 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #388 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 14,848 in 2016, ranked #428.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 13,074 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Millar surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millar surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Millar 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 8,248 #332
1861 historical 8,374 #330
1881 historical 11,013 #388
1891 historical 11,037 #404
1901 historical 13,074 #401
1911 historical 2,647 #1,942
1997 modern 13,607 #446
1998 modern 14,251 #443
1999 modern 14,390 #444
2000 modern 14,394 #438
2001 modern 13,957 #441
2002 modern 14,296 #439
2003 modern 13,922 #442
2004 modern 13,990 #439
2005 modern 14,049 #429
2006 modern 14,102 #428
2007 modern 14,311 #428
2008 modern 14,413 #428
2009 modern 14,664 #429
2010 modern 14,995 #429
2011 modern 14,627 #433
2012 modern 14,388 #432
2013 modern 14,601 #437
2014 modern 14,786 #434
2015 modern 14,769 #429
2016 modern 14,848 #428

Geography

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Where Millars are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry, Greenock and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to The Glens, South Angus, Chirnside and Area, Stobswell and Letham and Glamis. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 The Glens Dundee City
2 South Angus Angus
3 Chirnside and Area Scottish Borders
4 Stobswell Dundee City
5 Letham and Glamis Angus

Forenames

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First names often paired with Millar

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Millar

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

Established but Challenged

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

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

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, Millar 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

Millar 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

Millar falls in decile 9 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.

9
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Millar

The surname Millar is of Scottish origin, derived from the occupation of a miller, one who operated a mill to grind grain. The name can be traced back to the 12th century in Scotland, with various early spellings including Millare, Millar, and Myllar.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was William Millar, who was recorded in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing the names of Scottish landholders who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name is also found in the Domesday Book of 1086, the great survey of England commissioned by William the Conqueror, suggesting its use in England as well.

The Millar surname is closely associated with the Scottish Borders region, particularly in the counties of Berwickshire, Roxburghshire, and Selkirkshire. In the 16th century, the name was prominent in the town of Jedburgh, where a family of Millars held influential positions as burgesses and merchants.

Notable individuals with the surname Millar throughout history include Andrew Millar (1707-1768), a Scottish bookseller and publisher in London who played a significant role in the literary world of the 18th century. He published works by authors such as Samuel Johnson, David Hume, and Edward Gibbon.

Another prominent figure was John Millar (1735-1801), a Scottish philosopher and legal scholar who was a professor at the University of Glasgow. His work "An Historical View of the English Government" was influential in the development of the theory of social progress.

In the realm of literature, Mark Millar (born 1969) is a Scottish comic book writer known for his work on titles such as "Kick-Ass," "Wanted," and "The Ultimates." His comics often explore themes of superheroes and vigilantism in a gritty, contemporary setting.

Andrew Millar (1870-1942) was a Scottish-born Canadian politician who served as the 11th Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan from 1935 to 1941. He was also a successful businessman and agriculturalist.

Lastly, John Millar (1886-1934) was a Scottish professional golfer who won the Open Championship in 1912 and 1924. He was a pioneer in the development of golf courses and contributed significantly to the game's popularity in the early 20th century.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Millar families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millar 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. Lanarkshire leads with 2,239 Millars recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.49x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 2,239 6.49x
Midlothian 1,239 8.67x
Angus 1,129 11.43x
Renfrewshire 770 9.32x
Ayrshire 647 8.11x
Fife 603 9.55x
Perthshire 407 8.50x
Stirlingshire 332 8.44x
Middlesex 311 0.29x
Lancashire 302 0.24x
Surrey 235 0.45x
Dunbartonshire 184 6.42x
Yorkshire 157 0.15x
Selkirkshire 149 15.45x
Roxburghshire 146 7.56x
Durham 145 0.46x
Northumberland 121 0.76x
Argyllshire 117 3.94x
Aberdeenshire 116 1.17x
Kirkcudbrightshire 107 6.93x
Clackmannanshire 104 11.81x
Dumfriesshire 104 4.42x
West Lothian 88 5.48x
Kent 68 0.19x
Devon 66 0.30x
East Lothian 61 4.32x
Orkney 60 5.11x
Cheshire 59 0.25x
Inverness-shire 54 1.70x
Peeblesshire 53 10.57x
Kinross-shire 47 17.44x
Buteshire 46 7.12x
Essex 42 0.20x
Gloucestershire 39 0.19x
Hampshire 37 0.17x
Cumberland 33 0.36x
Wigtownshire 32 2.26x
Kincardineshire 29 2.23x
Sussex 29 0.16x
Banffshire 27 1.22x
Berwickshire 24 1.86x
Caithness 24 1.64x
Morayshire 24 1.45x
Glamorgan 20 0.11x
Warwickshire 20 0.07x
Ross-shire 17 0.58x
Wiltshire 17 0.18x
Northamptonshire 16 0.16x
Pembrokeshire 16 0.47x
Somerset 16 0.09x
Lincolnshire 15 0.09x
Shropshire 15 0.16x
Staffordshire 14 0.04x
Nottinghamshire 13 0.09x
Buckinghamshire 12 0.19x
Derbyshire 12 0.07x
Sutherland 12 1.46x
Carmarthenshire 10 0.22x
Dorset 10 0.14x
Herefordshire 10 0.23x
Monmouthshire 9 0.12x
Norfolk 9 0.05x
Cornwall 8 0.07x
Leicestershire 8 0.07x
Royal Navy 8 0.63x
Cambridgeshire 7 0.10x
Westmorland 7 0.30x
Hertfordshire 6 0.08x
Isle of Man 4 0.20x
Shetland 4 0.37x
Berkshire 3 0.04x
Caernarfonshire 2 0.05x
Suffolk 2 0.02x
Worcestershire 2 0.01x
Flintshire 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. Barony in Lanarkshire leads with 526 Millars recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.03x.

Place Total Index
Barony 526 6.03x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 493 8.58x
Govan 484 5.67x
Dundee 440 11.93x
Glasgow 321 5.24x
West Greenock 161 10.85x
Liff Benvie 131 8.74x
South Leith 130 8.09x
Inveresk 123 31.80x
Abbey 122 9.68x
Bothwell 98 10.48x
Hamilton 97 10.09x
Kilmarnock 97 10.21x
Stonehouse 92 78.65x
Paisley High Church 85 12.92x
New Monkland 80 7.85x
Dunfermline 75 7.73x
Forfar 70 13.09x
Old Monkland 69 5.04x
Kilsyth 66 26.32x
Cambusnethan 65 8.49x
St Vigeans 65 12.19x
Maryhill 60 8.89x
Paisley Middle Church 59 12.26x
Beith 56 23.52x
Cambuslang 55 15.82x
Falkirk 54 5.87x
Kilbarchan 54 21.51x
Montrose 54 9.02x
Selkirk 54 19.87x
Stirling 54 10.89x
East Greenock 53 6.79x
Kilwinning 53 20.57x
St Ninians 53 13.60x
Kirkcaldy 52 16.61x
Melrose 47 19.36x
North Leith 45 6.81x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 43 2.33x
Cupar 43 15.66x
Salford 41 1.10x
Camberwell 40 0.59x
Evie Rendall 40 80.76x
Paisley Low Church 40 15.29x
Jedburgh 39 20.60x
Alloa 37 8.66x
Galashiels 37 10.37x
Ochiltree 37 67.40x
Wilton 37 17.46x
Dysart 36 8.47x
Tulliallan 36 44.39x
Inverness 35 4.37x
Kirriemuir 35 14.36x
Rutherglen 35 6.92x
Cockpen 34 20.37x
Errol 34 38.35x
Bonhill 33 7.17x
Islington London 33 0.32x
Dalkeith 32 11.35x
Kinghorn 32 23.88x
Edinburgh Canongate 31 8.53x
Hackney London 31 0.52x
Aberdeen Old Machar 30 1.46x
Alva 30 15.99x
Brechin 30 7.73x
Collace 30 200.40x
Lochwinnoch 30 24.36x
Mains 30 35.74x
Burntisland 29 16.43x
Eastwood 29 5.70x
Forgan 29 23.98x
Liverpool 29 0.38x
Ardrossan 28 10.14x
Barry 28 23.62x
Dalry 28 7.46x
Irvine 28 12.63x
Kilfinan 28 35.35x
Kingston On Thames 28 2.24x
Kirkintilloch 28 7.19x
Whitburn 28 12.07x
Newington 27 0.69x

Top female names

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

Name Count
William 131
John 118
James 81
Thomas 54
George 51
Robert 43
Henry 35
Charles 34
Joseph 24
Alexander 21
Richard 21
David 20
Arthur 19
Edward 15
Samuel 15
Frederick 13
Alfred 11
Ernest 11
Peter 10
Harry 9
Andrew 7
Albert 6
Francis 6
Fred 6
Thos. 6
Archibald 5
Edwin 5
Herbert 5
Jas. 5
Percy 5
Wm. 5
Chas. 4
Hugh 4
Walter 4
Benjamin 3
Daniel 3
Frank 3
Jacob 3
Ralph 3
Sydney 3
Adam 2
Ben 2
Horace 2
Jonathan 2
Lionel 2
Matthew 2
Oliver 2
Phillip 2
Robt. 2
Stephen 2

FAQ

Millar surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millar surname in 1881?

In 1881, 11,013 people were recorded with the Millar surname. That placed it at #388 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millar surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 14,848 in 2016. That gives Millar a modern rank of #428.

What does the Millar surname mean?

A Scottish occupational surname referring to someone who worked in a mill or was a miller.

What does the Millar map show?

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