NameCensus.

UK surname

Milliken

A locational surname derived from the village of Milliken in Renfrewshire, Scotland, likely referring to a mill on a small stream.

In the 1881 census there were 249 people recorded with the Milliken surname, ranking it #11,103 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 720, ranked #7,543, up from #11,103 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Girvan, Govan Combination and Greenock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Drumry West, Barassie and Liverpool.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milliken is 726 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 189.2%.

1881 census count

249

Ranked #11,103

Modern count

720

2016, ranked #7,543

Peak year

2010

726 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milliken had 249 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,103 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 720 in 2016, ranked #7,543.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 422 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Milliken surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milliken surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milliken 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 184 #11,120
1861 historical 170 #13,763
1881 historical 249 #11,103
1891 historical 319 #10,563
1901 historical 422 #9,128
1911 historical 118 #20,649
1997 modern 662 #7,571
1998 modern 672 #7,717
1999 modern 664 #7,819
2000 modern 657 #7,870
2001 modern 662 #7,683
2002 modern 688 #7,614
2003 modern 666 #7,685
2004 modern 675 #7,621
2005 modern 671 #7,593
2006 modern 666 #7,659
2007 modern 689 #7,515
2008 modern 697 #7,512
2009 modern 719 #7,484
2010 modern 726 #7,568
2011 modern 710 #7,615
2012 modern 672 #7,865
2013 modern 698 #7,745
2014 modern 695 #7,813
2015 modern 713 #7,614
2016 modern 720 #7,543

Geography

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Where Millikens are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Drumry West, Barassie, Liverpool, Paisley North and Larbert - North Broomage and Inches. 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 Girvan Ayr
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Greenock Renfrew
4 Glasgow Lanark
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Drumry West Glasgow City
2 Barassie South Ayrshire
3 Liverpool 022 Liverpool
4 Paisley North Renfrewshire
5 Larbert - North Broomage and Inches Falkirk

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milliken

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milliken

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

Milliken is most concentrated in decile 2 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.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Milliken

The surname Milliken is of Scottish origin, originating from the lands of Millheugh near Dalry in Ayrshire. The name is derived from the Gaelic words 'muileann' meaning mill and 'achadh' meaning field, thus referring to a mill field or a field with a mill.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 13th century, with references found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. One such entry is that of Richardus de Muleken from Lanarkshire.

In the 16th century, the Milliken family were landowners in the parish of Kilwinning in Ayrshire. Records show that in 1572, Robert Milliken was the owner of the lands of Over Milliken in this area. The name also appears in various spellings such as Millikin, Millikin, and Mullikin during this time.

The Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest public records in England, does not contain any references to the surname Milliken, as it was primarily a Scottish name at the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Sir James Milliken, a Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir William Milliken, who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Milliken family had connections to the Scottish Covenanter movement, with several members being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Robert Milliken, born in 1642, was a prominent Covenanter who was imprisoned and later exiled to America for his involvement in the movement.

In the 18th century, the name spread to Ireland, particularly in Ulster, where many Scottish settlers had established themselves. One notable Milliken from this period was John Milliken (1720-1805), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for County Armagh.

In the 19th century, the name became more widely dispersed, with Millikens emigrating to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. One notable figure was Richard Milliken (1767-1840), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Overall, the surname Milliken has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with connections to various notable individuals and events throughout the centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milliken families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milliken 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 116 Millikens recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.65x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 116 14.65x
Ayrshire 24 13.10x
Lancashire 18 0.62x
Renfrewshire 17 8.96x
Berwickshire 13 43.84x
Midlothian 13 3.96x
Surrey 8 0.67x
Northumberland 7 1.92x
Caithness 6 17.90x
Durham 5 0.69x
Dunbartonshire 4 6.08x
Cheshire 3 0.56x
Fife 3 2.07x
Kent 3 0.36x
Essex 2 0.41x
Middlesex 2 0.08x
Berkshire 1 0.54x
Channel Islands 1 1.38x
Denbighshire 1 1.08x
East Lothian 1 3.08x
Gloucestershire 1 0.21x
Royal Navy 1 3.43x
Wigtownshire 1 3.08x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Govan in Lanarkshire leads with 55 Millikens recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.08x.

Place Total Index
Govan 55 28.08x
Glasgow 50 35.56x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 13 9.85x
Dunse 11 391.46x
Walton On Hill 9 57.18x
Renfrew 8 127.59x
West Derby 8 9.41x
Douglas 7 307.02x
Lambeth 7 3.28x
Girvan 6 130.43x
Thurso 6 114.72x
Ayr 5 57.80x
Hedworth Monkton Jarrow 5 15.85x
Symington 5 847.46x
Barony 4 2.00x
Preston In Belford 4 8000.00x
St Quivox 4 64.52x
Inverkip 3 67.11x
Kirkcaldy 3 41.72x
Mauchline 3 142.18x
Stockport 3 10.79x
Coldingham 2 74.91x
Dumbarton 2 21.83x
East Greenock 2 11.16x
Middle Greenock 2 38.61x
Swinhoe 2 1666.67x
Walthamstow 2 11.49x
West Greenock 2 5.87x
West Hythe 2 1666.67x
Berwick North 1 44.05x
Bonhill 1 9.47x
Cardross 1 12.66x
Cheltenham 1 2.70x
Kilmarnock 1 4.59x
Kirkdale 1 2.05x
Limpsfield 1 87.72x
Plumstead 1 3.59x
Reading St Mary 1 6.79x
Royal Navy 1 4.01x
St Marylebone London 1 0.77x
St Peter Port 1 7.45x
Stannington 1 116.28x
Stranraer 1 33.67x
Westminster St James 1 3.97x
Wrexham Regis 1 14.56x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 4
Sarah 4
Isabella 3
Annie 2
Emily 2
Eliza 1
Elizabeth 1
Ellen 1
Flora 1
Francis 1
Henrietta 1
Jane 1
Janet 1
Jessie 1
Kate 1
Katherine 1
Margeret 1
Martha 1
Susannah 1

Top male names

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

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Milliken households.

FAQ

Milliken surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milliken surname in 1881?

In 1881, 249 people were recorded with the Milliken surname. That placed it at #11,103 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milliken surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 720 in 2016. That gives Milliken a modern rank of #7,543.

What does the Milliken surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the village of Milliken in Renfrewshire, Scotland, likely referring to a mill on a small stream.

What does the Milliken map show?

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