NameCensus.

UK surname

Millard

An English occupational surname for a miller or mill worker, derived from the Middle English "millward" or "milleward."

In the 1881 census there were 4,946 people recorded with the Millard surname, ranking it #899 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 7,018, ranked #957, down from #899 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sedgley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Wakefield and Mendip.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millard is 7,524 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 41.9%.

1881 census count

4,946

Ranked #899

Modern count

7,018

2016, ranked #957

Peak year

1999

7,524 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Millard had 4,946 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #899 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 7,018 in 2016, ranked #957.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 7,005 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Millard surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millard surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Millard 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 3,450 #826
1861 historical 3,263 #878
1881 historical 4,946 #899
1891 historical 5,308 #882
1901 historical 6,365 #873
1911 historical 7,005 #741
1997 modern 7,251 #889
1998 modern 7,487 #899
1999 modern 7,524 #902
2000 modern 7,485 #901
2001 modern 7,252 #906
2002 modern 7,332 #918
2003 modern 7,148 #917
2004 modern 7,165 #921
2005 modern 6,924 #940
2006 modern 6,903 #944
2007 modern 6,926 #952
2008 modern 6,970 #947
2009 modern 7,090 #956
2010 modern 7,172 #966
2011 modern 7,108 #963
2012 modern 7,068 #937
2013 modern 7,176 #941
2014 modern 7,211 #943
2015 modern 7,076 #953
2016 modern 7,018 #957

Geography

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Where Millards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Sedgley, London parishes and Wedmore. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Wakefield, Mendip and Oldham. 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 Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff Gloucestershire
2 Sedgley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 1
4 London parishes London 3
5 Wedmore Somerset

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 004 Dudley
2 Wakefield 027 Wakefield
3 Dudley 001 Dudley
4 Mendip 004 Mendip
5 Oldham 001 Oldham

Forenames

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First names often paired with Millard

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Millard

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Millard, 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 Millard surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Rural Amenity, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Millard 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

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Millard is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Millard is most concentrated in decile 4 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.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Millard falls in decile 10 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.

10
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Millard is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Millard

The surname MILLARD is of English origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval era. It is derived from the Old French word "mouliner," meaning "to mill" or "grind grain." This occupational name was initially given to individuals who operated mills, an essential trade during that time.

MILLARD is believed to have emerged in the counties of Warwickshire and Staffordshire, where many early records of the name can be found. One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname appears in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which mentions a John le Milnere from Oxfordshire.

During the 13th and 14th centuries, the name was also spelled in various forms, such as Milner, Millner, and Mylner, reflecting the regional dialects and scribal variations of the time. These alternative spellings can be found in historical documents like the Pipe Rolls and the Hearth Tax Returns.

In the Domesday Book, compiled in 1086, there are references to manors and villages with names containing the element "mill," which may have contributed to the formation of the surname MILLARD in those areas.

Notably, the MILLARD surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One such figure was Thomas Millard (c. 1572-1633), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of St. Clement's Church in Ipswich.

Another prominent bearer of the name was John Millard (1605-1677), an English politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Maldon during the reign of Charles II.

In the 18th century, Joseph Millard (1736-1784) was a renowned English engraver and cartographer, known for his intricate maps and charts.

Moving into the 19th century, Sir Ralph Millard (1828-1899) was a British businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the city of Bradford, where he founded the Millard Charity.

Lastly, Henry Millard (1893-1979), an American author and journalist, gained recognition for his work on the history of the American West and his novels set in that era.

These examples showcase the diverse backgrounds and achievements of individuals bearing the surname MILLARD, reflecting its enduring presence throughout English and American history.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Millard families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millard 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. Somerset leads with 726 Millards recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.32x.

County Total Index
Somerset 726 9.32x
Middlesex 589 1.22x
Gloucestershire 536 5.65x
Staffordshire 361 2.21x
Wiltshire 339 7.92x
Surrey 331 1.40x
Hampshire 231 2.33x
Bedfordshire 230 9.18x
Lancashire 185 0.32x
Warwickshire 146 1.20x
Worcestershire 136 2.15x
Yorkshire 108 0.23x
Kent 101 0.61x
Berkshire 80 2.20x
Sussex 72 0.88x
Glamorgan 57 0.68x
Monmouthshire 57 1.63x
Northamptonshire 57 1.25x
Derbyshire 49 0.65x
Cambridgeshire 44 1.44x
Huntingdonshire 43 4.48x
Essex 38 0.40x
Lincolnshire 38 0.49x
Hertfordshire 35 1.05x
Norfolk 35 0.47x
Durham 31 0.22x
Oxfordshire 31 1.04x
Devon 29 0.29x
Dorset 28 0.88x
Leicestershire 28 0.52x
Nottinghamshire 28 0.43x
Buckinghamshire 26 0.89x
Shropshire 18 0.43x
Cheshire 16 0.15x
Pembrokeshire 15 0.98x
Northumberland 12 0.17x
Brecknockshire 11 1.14x
Royal Navy 11 1.91x
Channel Islands 10 0.70x
Midlothian 8 0.12x
Suffolk 8 0.14x
Cardiganshire 5 0.42x
Herefordshire 5 0.25x
Lanarkshire 4 0.03x
Cumberland 3 0.07x
Rutland 3 0.84x
Westmorland 2 0.19x
Carmarthenshire 1 0.05x
East Lothian 1 0.16x
Flintshire 1 0.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Sedgley in Staffordshire leads with 174 Millards recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.69x.

Place Total Index
Sedgley 174 28.69x
Islington London 112 2.39x
Westbury 93 93.14x
Dudley 86 11.20x
Bedminster 68 9.29x
Lambeth 68 1.61x
St Pancras London 62 1.59x
Wedmore 62 122.36x
Aston 58 1.73x
Frome 56 30.07x
Birmingham 54 1.33x
Walcot 54 13.02x
Camberwell 50 1.62x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 49 5.49x
Mangotsfield 47 49.70x
Trowbridge 46 24.33x
Tipton 44 8.80x
Cheltenham 40 5.46x
Stotfold 38 79.25x
Bethnal Green London 37 1.76x
Shepton Mallet 37 42.35x
Stapleton 35 19.45x
Hackney London 31 1.14x
West Bromwich 31 3.32x
Cranfield 29 120.43x
St Marylebone London 29 1.12x
Deptford St Paul 28 2.20x
Woking 27 19.01x
Wrington 27 103.33x
Barrow In Furness 26 3.33x
Swindon 26 7.84x
Kensington London 25 0.93x
St George Hanover 25 3.96x
Meare 24 102.74x
Caversham 23 38.49x
Clerkenwell London 23 2.01x
Middlezoy 23 241.09x
Bradford On Avon 22 16.06x
Lyncombe Widcombe 22 10.79x
Newington 22 1.23x
Portsea 22 1.13x
West Ham 22 1.04x
Liverpool 21 0.60x
Luton 21 4.84x
Reading St Giles 21 5.89x
Bathwick 20 23.21x
Paddington London 20 1.12x
Rowley Regis 20 4.40x
Chadderton 19 6.77x
Leeds 19 0.70x
Lewisham 19 2.16x
Midsomer Norton 19 25.90x
Olveston 19 71.21x
Shillington 19 51.50x
Shoreditch London 19 0.91x
Stonehouse 19 35.24x
Aldershot 18 5.42x
Battersea 18 1.01x
Bottisham 18 68.97x
Bermondsey 17 1.18x
Great Gransden 17 161.44x
Hurst 17 35.77x
Stoke Damerel 17 2.41x
Bedford St Paul 16 9.31x
Gloucester St Nicholas 16 36.42x
Littlehampton 16 24.57x
Nettleton 16 238.10x
Streatham 16 4.46x
Biggleswade 15 18.29x
Baldock 14 44.66x
Brighton 14 0.85x
Bristol St James St Paul 14 4.43x
Catherington 14 63.96x
Derby St Werburgh 14 3.20x
Ystradyfodwg 14 1.89x
Cheriton 13 128.08x
Croydon 13 0.99x
Millbrook 13 5.21x
Taunton St Mary 13 9.09x
West Tisted 13 448.28x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 293
Elizabeth 194
Sarah 166
Jane 85
Alice 83
Eliza 82
Emma 82
Ann 77
Ellen 74
Annie 59
Emily 58
Hannah 51
Louisa 51
Harriet 44
Florence 43
Charlotte 40
Fanny 40
Martha 37
Edith 36
Maria 35
Caroline 31
Kate 31
Ada 27
Clara 26
Catherine 23
Amelia 22
Anne 22
Lucy 22
Susan 22
Matilda 20
Rose 20
Harriett 19
Laura 15
Frances 14
Margaret 14
Sophia 13
Anna 12
Lydia 12
Agnes 11
Esther 11
Julia 11
Rebecca 11
Susannah 11
Bessie 10
Ethel 10
Gertrude 10
Jessie 10
Phoebe 10
Selina 10
Amy 9

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 328
John 237
George 195
James 149
Thomas 145
Joseph 111
Charles 108
Henry 106
Edward 63
Alfred 57
Albert 55
Arthur 44
Samuel 44
Frederick 41
Walter 40
Robert 35
Frank 33
Richard 32
Harry 30
David 29
Ernest 24
Francis 20
Edwin 18
Herbert 17
Benjamin 13
Isaac 13
Stephen 11
Daniel 10
Sidney 10
Abraham 8
Percy 8
Tom 8
Chas. 7
Mark 7
Sydney 7
Wm. 7
Eli 6
Fred 6
Fredk. 6
Harold 5
Jesse 5
Ambrose 4
Andrew 4
J. 4
Jacob 4
Josiah 4
Thos. 4
Benjn. 3
Gilbert 3
Infant 3

FAQ

Millard surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millard surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,946 people were recorded with the Millard surname. That placed it at #899 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millard surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 7,018 in 2016. That gives Millard a modern rank of #957.

What does the Millard surname mean?

An English occupational surname for a miller or mill worker, derived from the Middle English "millward" or "milleward."

What does the Millard map show?

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