NameCensus.

UK surname

Millham

An English surname derived from a place name, referring to someone from a mill settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 114 people recorded with the Millham surname, ranking it #18,324 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 81, ranked #32,971, down from #18,324 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Northiam, London parishes and Sandhurst. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Basildon, Redditch and Wychavon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millham is 164 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 28.9%.

1881 census count

114

Ranked #18,324

Modern count

81

2016, ranked #32,971

Peak year

1861

164 bearers

Map years

6

1861 to 1998

Key insights

  • Millham had 114 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,324 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 81 in 2016, ranked #32,971.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 164 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established Mature Families.

Millham surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millham surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Millham 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 75 #20,268
1861 historical 164 #14,188
1881 historical 114 #18,324
1891 historical 126 #20,604
1901 historical 137 #19,032
1911 historical 130 #19,504
1997 modern 95 #27,638
1998 modern 103 #27,141
1999 modern 95 #28,465
2000 modern 110 #26,248
2001 modern 106 #26,468
2002 modern 104 #27,303
2003 modern 101 #27,561
2004 modern 95 #28,746
2005 modern 96 #28,671
2006 modern 89 #30,027
2007 modern 92 #29,929
2008 modern 95 #29,822
2009 modern 95 #30,393
2010 modern 92 #31,366
2011 modern 89 #31,659
2012 modern 84 #32,502
2013 modern 81 #32,996
2014 modern 82 #32,992
2015 modern 82 #32,911
2016 modern 81 #32,971

Geography

Back to top

Where Millhams are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Northiam, London parishes, Sandhurst, Hawkhurst, Etchingham and Gillingham, Grange, Lidsing. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Basildon, Redditch, Wychavon, Thurrock and Epping Forest. 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 Northiam Sussex
2 London parishes London 3
3 Sandhurst Kent
4 Hawkhurst, Etchingham Kent
5 Gillingham, Grange, Lidsing Kent

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Basildon 009 Basildon
2 Redditch 012 Redditch
3 Wychavon 008 Wychavon
4 Thurrock 012 Thurrock
5 Epping Forest 016 Epping Forest

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Millham

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Millham

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

Retired Professionals

Group

Established Mature Families

Nationally, the Millham surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established Mature Families, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Millham household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Married couples predominate, many with older dependent children. Detached housing is common. Homeownership rates are the highest within this Supergroup. The presence of some students suggests that households are towards the end of a child rearing phase. Many residents have degree level qualifications, and the occupational profile is heavily skewed towards managerial and professional occupations. Residential developments commonly occur on the periphery of major urban cities or conurbations.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Central Connected Professionals and Managers

Group

Senior Professionals

Within London, Millham is most associated with areas classed as Senior Professionals, part of Central Connected Professionals and Managers. 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

These very central neighbourhoods house residents whose ages are more skewed towards older age cohorts than elsewhere in the Supergroup. Few households have young children. Rates of illness are low. Indian ethnicity is rare compared to the Supergroup mean. Property under occupation is more common, despite the centrality of neighbourhoods, and more residents live in communal establishments than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

Adult residents of these neighbourhoods are typically aged 25 to 44, working full-time in professional, managerial or associate professional occupations. There are few families with dependent children. The predominantly Inner London neighbourhoods have an international character, including many residents born elsewhere in Europe alongside high numbers of individuals identifying as of Chinese ethnicity. Many individuals are never married, childless and/or living alone. Above average numbers of individuals, likely to be full-time students, live in communal establishments. Elsewhere, privately rented flats are the dominant housing type. Residents of these areas are well-qualified, with a significant number holding Level 4 or above qualifications. There is a correspondingly high level of individuals employed full-time in professional, managerial and associated professional or technical occupations. Employing industries are financial, real estate, professional, administration, and, to a lesser degree, transport and communications. Unemployment is uncommon.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Millham is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Millham 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 Millham 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 Millham, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Millham

The surname Millham originated in England during the medieval period. It is believed to be a habitational name, derived from a place name referring to a mill or mills located in a valley or enclosed area. The prefix "mill" comes from the Old English word "mylen," meaning a mill for grinding corn or grain. The suffix "ham" is an Old English word meaning a homestead, village, or enclosed dwelling place.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Millham can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Milneham." This entry suggests that the name was already in use by the late 11th century, likely referring to someone who lived near a mill or worked as a miller.

In the 13th century, various spellings of the name appear in historical records, such as "Milham," "Mylham," and "Milneham." These variations highlight the evolving nature of surnames during the Middle Ages, as they were often adapted based on local dialects and scribes' interpretations.

One notable early bearer of the Millham surname was Sir John Millham, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III during the Hundred Years' War in the 14th century. He was recorded as participating in the Battle of Crécy in 1346 and the Siege of Calais in 1347.

In the 16th century, the Millham family established roots in Oxfordshire, where they held lands and properties. William Millham (1520-1585) was a prominent landowner and member of the local gentry in the village of Cuxham.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, Captain Thomas Millham (1610-1678) served as a cavalry officer in the Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell. He fought in several notable battles, including the Battle of Marston Moor in 1644.

In the 18th century, the Millham name was associated with the village of Milham in Norfolk, which likely derived its name from the same origins as the surname. Reverend Henry Millham (1745-1822) was a respected clergyman and author who served as the vicar of Milham parish for over four decades.

As the centuries passed, the Millham surname continued to be found across various regions of England, with some bearers migrating to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to North America and other parts of the world.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Millham families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millham 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. Sussex leads with 46 Millhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 24.54x.

County Total Index
Sussex 46 24.54x
Kent 36 9.49x
Surrey 14 2.58x
Essex 11 5.01x
Middlesex 5 0.45x
Lincolnshire 1 0.56x
Shropshire 1 1.04x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Northiam in Sussex leads with 14 Millhams recorded in 1881 and an index of 3043.48x.

Place Total Index
Northiam 14 3043.48x
Burnham 9 1111.11x
Sandhurst 7 1555.56x
Greenwich 6 33.90x
Thames Ditton 6 530.97x
Battle 5 393.70x
Ewhurst 5 1190.48x
Gillingham 5 63.94x
Shipley 5 1190.48x
Tonbridge 5 36.55x
Hawkhurst 4 338.98x
Nuthurst 4 1290.32x
Tudeley 4 1904.76x
Cranbrook 3 186.34x
Pagham 3 909.09x
Windlesham 3 294.12x
Brede 2 512.82x
Brighton 2 5.29x
Chiswick 2 32.89x
Deptford St Paul 2 6.84x
Lambeth 2 2.06x
Maldon All Sts 2 454.55x
Penge 2 28.17x
Bexhill 1 107.53x
Clee With Weelsby 1 25.71x
Horsham 1 27.47x
Hove 1 12.15x
Kensington London 1 1.62x
Lower Beeding 1 200.00x
Newhaven 1 65.79x
Shrewsbury St Chad 1 29.67x
St Marylebone London 1 1.68x
St Pancras London 1 1.12x
West Grinstead 1 175.44x
Wimbledon 1 16.45x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 10
Sarah 5
Ann 3
Elizabeth 3
Ellen 3
Emily 3
Alice 2
Charlotte 2
Jane 2
Kate 2
Abigail 1
Anne 1
Annie 1
Bertha 1
Clara 1
Dorcas 1
Edith 1
Emma 1
Fanny 1
Frances 1
Harriett 1
Isabella 1
Jessie 1
Lucy 1
Lydia 1
Mabel 1
Margarett 1
Maria 1
Martha 1
Mercy 1
Minnie 1
Miriam 1
Orlo 1
Rosine 1
Ruth 1
Sophia 1
Tamar 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Millham surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millham surname in 1881?

In 1881, 114 people were recorded with the Millham surname. That placed it at #18,324 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millham surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 81 in 2016. That gives Millham a modern rank of #32,971.

What does the Millham surname mean?

An English surname derived from a place name, referring to someone from a mill settlement.

What does the Millham map show?

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