NameCensus.

UK surname

Millburn

An English place name surname referring to someone from Millburn, a locality in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 346 people recorded with the Millburn surname, ranking it #8,826 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 96, ranked #31,684, down from #8,826 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lanchester (Collierley, Kyo, Billingside, Medomsley, Ebchchester, Benfieldside, Heelyfield, Conside, London parishes and Monkwearmouth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millburn is 367 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 72.3%.

1881 census count

346

Ranked #8,826

Modern count

96

2016, ranked #31,684

Peak year

1901

367 bearers

Map years

7

1851 to 1998

Key insights

  • Millburn had 346 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #8,826 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016, ranked #31,684.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 367 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Rural Amenity.

Millburn surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millburn surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Millburn 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 180 #11,300
1861 historical 218 #11,175
1881 historical 346 #8,826
1891 historical 323 #10,480
1901 historical 367 #10,076
1911 historical 272 #12,205
1997 modern 108 #25,788
1998 modern 118 #25,041
1999 modern 117 #25,362
2000 modern 115 #25,591
2001 modern 114 #25,344
2002 modern 110 #26,412
2003 modern 105 #26,940
2004 modern 108 #26,741
2005 modern 93 #29,133
2006 modern 84 #30,665
2007 modern 88 #30,515
2008 modern 92 #30,286
2009 modern 88 #31,352
2010 modern 93 #31,239
2011 modern 94 #31,016
2012 modern 96 #30,949
2013 modern 101 #30,591
2014 modern 102 #30,714
2015 modern 96 #31,624
2016 modern 96 #31,684

Geography

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Where Millburns are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Copeland and Barrow-in-Furness. 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 London parishes London 3
3 Monkwearmouth Durham
4 Gateshead Durham
5 Colton Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Central Bedfordshire 021 Central Bedfordshire
2 Milton Keynes 031 Milton Keynes
3 Copeland 007 Copeland
4 Barrow-in-Furness 010 Barrow-in-Furness
5 Milton Keynes 028 Milton Keynes

Forenames

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First names often paired with Millburn

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Millburn

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

Millburn is most concentrated in decile 5 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.

5
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Millburn falls in decile 8 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.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Millburn

The surname Millburn originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is a locational surname derived from the town of Millburn, located in the Scottish Borders region. The name is composed of two elements: "mill" referring to a grinding mill, and "burn" meaning a small stream or brook in Scots dialect.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which lists Nigel de Milleburn as a resident of Roxburghshire. This suggests that the Millburn family had established roots in the Scottish Borders area by the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, the Millburn name appears in various Scottish records, including the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which mention John Mylburn in 1456 and Thomas Mylburn in 1476. These variations in spelling were common during this period, as standardized spelling conventions had not yet been established.

A notable historical figure with the Millburn surname was Sir John Millburn (c. 1550-1628), a Scottish landowner and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Haddingtonshire in the early 17th century. He was a supporter of the Union of the Crowns in 1603, which united the kingdoms of Scotland and England under King James VI of Scotland (also known as James I of England).

Another prominent individual was Captain William Millburn (1725-1797), a Scottish naval officer who served in the British Royal Navy during the American Revolutionary War. He participated in several notable battles, including the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775 and the Battle of Valcour Island in 1776.

In the 19th century, the Millburn surname gained recognition through the work of George Millburn (1834-1904), a Scottish architect and designer. He was best known for his work on the Glasgow City Chambers, a grand municipal building completed in 1888 and considered one of the finest examples of Victorian architecture in Scotland.

While the name Millburn is of Scottish origin, it has since spread to other parts of the world, particularly due to migration and immigration patterns over the centuries. However, its roots can be traced back to the small town of Millburn in the Scottish Borders, where the name first emerged and became established.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Millburn families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millburn 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 111 Millburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 11.02x.

County Total Index
Durham 111 11.02x
Lancashire 62 1.54x
Northumberland 27 5.36x
Yorkshire 26 0.78x
Cumberland 20 6.86x
Westmorland 20 26.89x
Middlesex 15 0.44x
Leicestershire 11 2.93x
Buckinghamshire 8 3.91x
Lanarkshire 7 0.64x
Cheshire 6 0.80x
Devon 4 0.57x
Hertfordshire 4 1.71x
Kirkcudbrightshire 4 8.16x
Surrey 4 0.24x
Berkshire 3 1.18x
Dumfriesshire 3 4.01x
Wiltshire 3 1.00x
Staffordshire 2 0.18x
Suffolk 2 0.49x
Dunbartonshire 1 1.10x
Kent 1 0.09x
Lincolnshire 1 0.18x
Sussex 1 0.18x
Warwickshire 1 0.12x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Gateshead in Durham leads with 22 Millburns recorded in 1881 and an index of 29.18x.

Place Total Index
Gateshead 22 29.18x
Whickham 14 151.02x
Bishopwearmouth 13 15.04x
Radcliffe 11 56.82x
Leicester St Margaret 10 10.93x
Pilkington 9 58.98x
Sedgefield 9 250.70x
Strickland Kettle 9 1267.61x
Colton 8 382.78x
Everton 8 6.25x
Greencroft 8 432.43x
Aylesbury 7 77.18x
Edmonton 7 25.67x
Arthuret 6 197.37x
Heath Charnock 6 560.75x
Helmington Row 6 127.93x
Liscard 6 44.58x
Batley 5 15.68x
Benfieldside 5 75.53x
Brigham 5 362.32x
Hackney London 5 2.63x
Kendal 5 36.71x
Linthorpe 5 24.98x
Monkwearmouth Shore 5 25.43x
Shotts 5 38.17x
Thornley 5 137.36x
Ashton In Makerfield 4 34.97x
Barrow In Furness 4 7.32x
Berkhampstead 4 76.34x
Brandon Byshottles 4 31.72x
Ferryhill 4 113.64x
Kirkmabreck 4 186.92x
Aiskew 3 312.50x
Bradford 3 3.69x
Hetton Le Hole 3 23.51x
Kirkby Ireleth 3 150.00x
Kirkleatham 3 66.23x
Merrington 3 154.64x
Plymouth Charles The 3 9.66x
Salisbury St Thomas 3 126.58x
Seghill 3 121.46x
Skinningrove 3 145.63x
Stannington 3 250.00x
Thornhill 3 30.64x
Tonge 3 35.59x
Wallsend 3 18.79x
Bedlington 2 11.89x
Bermondsey 2 1.98x
Bowness 2 176.99x
Egremont 2 28.78x
Glasgow 2 1.03x
Great Bavington 2 3333.33x
Gretna 2 141.84x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 2 4.59x
Hurst 2 60.06x
Jesmond 2 28.21x
Kirkbride 2 476.19x
Nichol Forest 2 273.97x
North Shields 2 19.90x
Southwick 2 20.96x
Westgate 2 6.41x
Wolverhampton 2 2.28x
Woodbridge 2 37.95x
Ancroft 1 56.50x
Bedale 1 81.97x
Bishop Auckland 1 7.40x
Camberwell 1 0.46x
Cartmel Fell 1 294.12x
Chatham 1 3.15x
Elswick 1 2.49x
High Barton 1 232.56x
Kyo 1 21.10x
Lochmaben 1 30.49x
Mansergh 1 357.14x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 1 3.32x
Scalthwaiterigg 1 263.16x
Stockton On Tees 1 2.06x
Streatlam Stainton 1 250.00x
Wark 1 169.49x
Westleigh 1 10.96x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 26
Elizabeth 14
Jane 14
Ann 10
Margaret 9
Hannah 8
Sarah 8
Annie 7
Eliza 5
Isabella 5
Alice 3
Barbara 3
Anna 2
Dorothy 2
Eleanor 2
Ellen 2
Emily 2
Emma 2
Fanny 2
Frances 2
Ruth 2
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Angelina 1
Anne 1
Catherine 1
Diana 1
Edith 1
Eliz. 1
Elizath. 1
Ester 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Florence 1
Janey 1
Lilian 1
Lilly 1
Louisa 1
Margret 1
Margrett 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Miriam 1
Nelly 1
Patience 1
Rosetta 1
Sah. 1
Sesily 1
Sophia 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 27
John 26
Thomas 18
George 14
Robert 14
Joseph 9
James 7
Isaac 4
Alfred 3
Richard 3
Carter 2
Charles 2
Fred 2
Henry 2
Michael 2
Norman 2
Wm. 2
Abraham 1
Albert 1
Arthur 1
Bowness 1
Christopher 1
David 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
Ellis 1
Eward 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Frederic 1
Geo.Robt. 1
Harry 1
Herbert 1
Isac 1
Jeffery 1
Jesse 1
Jno. 1
Jos. 1
Matthew 1
Samuel 1
Thos. 1
Thos.Frank 1
Thos.Wm. 1
Tom 1
Wiliam 1
Willm. 1

FAQ

Millburn surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millburn surname in 1881?

In 1881, 346 people were recorded with the Millburn surname. That placed it at #8,826 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millburn surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 96 in 2016. That gives Millburn a modern rank of #31,684.

What does the Millburn surname mean?

An English place name surname referring to someone from Millburn, a locality in Scotland.

What does the Millburn map show?

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