NameCensus.

UK surname

Milligan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Maolagáin," meaning "descendant of a disciple of St. John."

In the 1881 census there were 3,523 people recorded with the Milligan surname, ranking it #1,289 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,582, ranked #1,025, up from #1,289 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Govan Combination, Edinburgh and Dumfries. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Maybole, Toryglen and Oatlands and Copeland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milligan is 6,582 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.8%.

1881 census count

3,523

Ranked #1,289

Modern count

6,582

2016, ranked #1,025

Peak year

2016

6,582 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milligan had 3,523 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,289 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,582 in 2016, ranked #1,025.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,453 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Milligan surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milligan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milligan 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 2,224 #1,320
1861 historical 2,421 #1,205
1881 historical 3,523 #1,289
1891 historical 3,940 #1,218
1901 historical 4,453 #1,278
1911 historical 1,964 #2,528
1997 modern 5,884 #1,113
1998 modern 6,102 #1,115
1999 modern 6,225 #1,099
2000 modern 6,179 #1,100
2001 modern 6,015 #1,105
2002 modern 6,194 #1,099
2003 modern 6,018 #1,102
2004 modern 6,019 #1,102
2005 modern 6,030 #1,088
2006 modern 6,052 #1,077
2007 modern 6,186 #1,067
2008 modern 6,211 #1,065
2009 modern 6,340 #1,067
2010 modern 6,537 #1,060
2011 modern 6,465 #1,055
2012 modern 6,352 #1,055
2013 modern 6,474 #1,051
2014 modern 6,573 #1,045
2015 modern 6,550 #1,038
2016 modern 6,582 #1,025

Geography

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Where Milligans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dumfries, Kirkcudbright and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Maybole, Toryglen and Oatlands, Copeland, Upper Nithsdale and Mauchline. 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 Govan Combination Lanark
2 Edinburgh Edinburgh
3 Dumfries Dumfries
4 Kirkcudbright Kirkcudbright
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Maybole South Ayrshire
2 Toryglen and Oatlands Glasgow City
3 Copeland 008 Copeland
4 Upper Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
5 Mauchline East Ayrshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milligan

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milligan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Milligan, 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 Milligan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Milligan 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, Milligan 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

Milligan 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

Milligan falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Milligan

The surname Milligan originates from Scotland and is derived from the ancient Gaelic name, MacMillan or MacGilleMhaolain, meaning "son of the tonsured servant" or "son of the bald or tonsured one." This name dates back to the Middle Ages when it was not uncommon for a young boy to have his head shaved as a symbol of his devotion to the church.

The name Milligan is believed to have first appeared in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Hebrides. Early recordings of the name can be found in various historical documents, such as the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a certain Gyllemihaelmore Macillegan is mentioned in 1292.

One of the earliest known references to the name Milligan can be traced back to the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of instruments recording the submission of Scottish nobles to Edward I of England. In this document, the name appears as "Milelgan."

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Milligan. One of the earliest was Sir James Milligan (1571-1640), a Scottish merchant and politician who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1621 to 1622.

Another prominent figure was Ralph Milligan (1622-1680), an English Puritan minister and writer who published several religious works during the 17th century.

In the 18th century, John Milligan (1753-1805) was a Scottish surveyor and geographer who is best known for his work in mapping the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides Islands.

During the 19th century, William Milligan (1821-1892) was a Scottish biblical scholar and professor of divinity at the University of Aberdeen. He made significant contributions to the study of New Testament Greek and was recognized for his expertise in biblical criticism.

More recently, Spike Milligan (1918-2002) was an Irish comedian, writer, poet, and actor, best known for his work with the British comedy group, The Goon Show. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in British comedy and is often credited with paving the way for the Monty Python troupe.

The surname Milligan has also been associated with various place names throughout Scotland, such as Milligan's Knoll, a hill located in the Scottish Borders, and Milligan's Burn, a stream in Ayrshire.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milligan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milligan 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 652 Milligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.86x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 652 5.86x
Lancashire 497 1.22x
Ayrshire 352 13.68x
Kirkcudbrightshire 277 55.65x
Dumfriesshire 208 27.38x
Yorkshire 142 0.42x
Midlothian 123 2.67x
Middlesex 115 0.33x
Wigtownshire 105 23.00x
Northumberland 86 1.68x
Cumberland 82 2.77x
Durham 81 0.79x
Angus 71 2.23x
Hampshire 65 0.92x
Renfrewshire 64 2.40x
Cheshire 59 0.78x
Warwickshire 52 0.60x
Surrey 45 0.27x
Dunbartonshire 33 3.57x
Roxburghshire 33 5.30x
Westmorland 31 4.10x
Norfolk 30 0.57x
Derbyshire 29 0.54x
Kent 28 0.24x
Aberdeenshire 22 0.69x
Essex 21 0.31x
Caithness 19 4.04x
Stirlingshire 16 1.26x
Suffolk 15 0.36x
Selkirkshire 14 4.50x
Flintshire 12 1.30x
Staffordshire 12 0.10x
Glamorgan 11 0.18x
Bedfordshire 10 0.56x
Somerset 9 0.16x
Denbighshire 8 0.62x
East Lothian 8 1.76x
Oxfordshire 8 0.38x
Gloucestershire 6 0.09x
Hertfordshire 6 0.25x
Lincolnshire 6 0.11x
Berkshire 5 0.19x
Inverness-shire 5 0.49x
Royal Navy 5 1.22x
Berwickshire 4 0.96x
Buteshire 4 1.92x
Channel Islands 4 0.39x
Devon 4 0.06x
Sussex 4 0.07x
Carmarthenshire 3 0.21x
Leicestershire 3 0.08x
Perthshire 3 0.19x
West Lothian 3 0.58x
Argyllshire 2 0.21x
Cambridgeshire 2 0.09x
Anglesey 1 0.16x
Caernarfonshire 1 0.07x
Clackmannanshire 1 0.35x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Dorset 1 0.04x
Fife 1 0.05x
Huntingdonshire 1 0.15x
Isle of Man 1 0.16x
Peeblesshire 1 0.62x
Wiltshire 1 0.03x
Worcestershire 1 0.02x

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 152 Milligans recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.40x.

Place Total Index
Barony 152 5.40x
Govan 138 5.02x
Glasgow 119 6.03x
Wigan 53 9.30x
Liverpool 51 2.06x
New Monkland 51 15.51x
Kirkcudbright 46 111.65x
Everton 39 3.00x
Toxteth Park 39 2.82x
Maybole 37 47.22x
Dumfries 36 48.04x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 35 1.89x
West Derby 35 2.93x
Hamilton 34 10.96x
Kilmarnock 34 11.10x
Dreghorn 32 68.68x
Dundee 31 2.61x
Urr 31 47.88x
Great Yarmouth 30 6.85x
Dundonald 29 30.56x
Girvan 29 44.89x
Troqueer 29 44.41x
Kelton 27 66.03x
Liff Benvie 27 5.58x
Portsea 26 1.88x
Langholm 25 45.80x
Morton 25 99.17x
Oldham 25 1.90x
Bothwell 24 7.96x
Auckinleck 23 28.87x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 23 5.19x
Kirkinner 23 121.95x
Dalry 22 189.17x
Glencairn 22 107.74x
Sanguhar 22 217.61x
Tranmere 22 7.89x
Ventnor 22 32.82x
Ayr 21 17.29x
Barrow In Furness 21 3.78x
Dumbarton 21 16.33x
Newcastle On Tyne St 21 7.92x
Old Monkland 21 4.76x
Dalton In Furness 20 12.70x
Halifax 19 3.80x
Parton 19 225.39x
Shotts 18 13.53x
Wick 18 11.84x
Aston 17 0.71x
Lambeth 17 0.57x
Ardwick 16 4.35x
Carlaverock 16 129.14x
Mochrum 16 58.69x
South Leith 16 3.09x
St Quivox 16 18.39x
Whitehaven 16 10.14x
Crawfordjohn 15 151.06x
Kirkpatrick Durham 15 96.84x
Manchester 15 0.82x
Rutherglen 15 9.19x
Westgate 15 4.73x
Workington 15 8.85x
Cadder 14 17.05x
Hornsey 14 3.22x
Muirkirk 14 23.17x
Skelton In Guisbrough 14 15.19x
Twynholm 14 175.44x
West Greenock 14 2.93x
Aberdeen Old Machar 13 1.96x
Birmingham 13 0.45x
Chorlton On Medlock 13 2.01x
Dalmellington 13 17.18x
Longbenton 13 6.00x
New Cumnock 13 29.13x
Newabbey 13 122.07x
Sanquhar 13 48.69x
Stoneykirk 13 39.82x
Abbey 12 2.95x
Kendal 12 8.67x
Kirkdale 12 1.75x
Thornley 12 32.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 107
Elizabeth 70
Margaret 50
Sarah 37
Jane 34
Ann 25
Hannah 22
Annie 21
Ellen 19
Agnes 15
Alice 15
Eliza 15
Catherine 14
Emma 14
Isabella 13
Janet 13
Jessie 11
Edith 10
Emily 10
Maria 10
Ada 9
Frances 9
Martha 9
Rose 9
Susan 9
Bridget 6
Caroline 6
Charlotte 6
Eleanor 6
Margt. 6
Florence 5
Gertrude 5
Kate 5
Louisa 5
Anne 4
Clara 4
Harriet 4
Harriett 4
Helen 4
Henrietta 4
Laura 4
Maggie 4
Margret 4
Matilda 4
Susannah 4
Barbara 3
Flora 3
Grace 3
Phoebe 3
Sophia 3

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 107
William 88
James 83
Robert 46
Thomas 44
George 30
Joseph 30
Charles 15
Edward 15
Samuel 15
David 13
Henry 11
Michael 10
Alexander 9
Wm. 8
Daniel 7
Patrick 7
Richard 7
Arthur 6
Peter 6
Alfred 5
Andrew 5
Hugh 5
Thos. 5
Bernard 4
Frederick 4
Harry 4
Herbert 4
Albert 3
Geo. 3
Jas. 3
Robt. 3
Saml. 3
Benjamin 2
Caleb 2
Christopher 2
Duncan 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Isaac 2
Lawrence 2
Mathew 2
Matthew 2
Percy 2
Timothy 2
Wyndham 2
Eamel 1
Earnst 1
Ed. 1
Ernest 1

FAQ

Milligan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milligan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,523 people were recorded with the Milligan surname. That placed it at #1,289 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milligan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,582 in 2016. That gives Milligan a modern rank of #1,025.

What does the Milligan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Maolagáin," meaning "descendant of a disciple of St. John."

What does the Milligan map show?

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