NameCensus.

UK surname

Milliner

An occupational surname for a hat maker or seller of women's hats.

In the 1881 census there were 279 people recorded with the Milliner surname, ranking it #10,230 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 380, ranked #12,346, down from #10,230 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Almondsbury and Hawkesbury. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Forest of Dean, Stroud and Cotswold.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milliner is 406 in 2011. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 36.2%.

1881 census count

279

Ranked #10,230

Modern count

380

2016, ranked #12,346

Peak year

2011

406 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milliner had 279 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,230 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016, ranked #12,346.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 362 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Milliner surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milliner surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milliner 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 233 #9,272
1861 historical 357 #7,155
1881 historical 279 #10,230
1891 historical 338 #10,113
1901 historical 321 #11,118
1911 historical 362 #10,020
1997 modern 361 #11,892
1998 modern 365 #12,175
1999 modern 377 #11,954
2000 modern 376 #11,928
2001 modern 363 #12,057
2002 modern 381 #11,865
2003 modern 380 #11,689
2004 modern 389 #11,516
2005 modern 386 #11,493
2006 modern 371 #11,916
2007 modern 383 #11,751
2008 modern 385 #11,828
2009 modern 385 #12,070
2010 modern 392 #12,186
2011 modern 406 #11,730
2012 modern 387 #12,015
2013 modern 388 #12,204
2014 modern 391 #12,214
2015 modern 385 #12,256
2016 modern 380 #12,346

Geography

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Where Milliners are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Almondsbury, Hawkesbury, London parishes and East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Forest of Dean, Stroud, Cotswold and Medway. 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 Almondsbury Gloucestershire
3 Hawkesbury Gloucestershire
4 London parishes London 3
5 East Dean, Little Dean, Flaxley, Abinghall, Weston-under-Penyard (Ross, Herefordshire), Lea (Ross, H Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Forest of Dean 004 Forest of Dean
2 Stroud 014 Stroud
3 Stroud 011 Stroud
4 Cotswold 006 Cotswold
5 Medway 018 Medway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milliner

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milliner

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

Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living

Nationally, the Milliner surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Milliner household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Families with resident dependent children (but not students) are common. Established family groups and White ethnicity predominate, as do individuals born in the UK. They are more likely than the Supergroup average to have been resident in their terraced, semi-detached, or detached houses for more than one year. Levels of multiple car ownership are high. Properties are owned and typically have surplus living space. Associate professionals and administrative occupations are prevalent, and parents are likely to be in middle age or approaching retirement. Educational attainment is above the Supergroup average. Scattered developments and concentrations are found in many small towns.

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

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Milliner is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

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

Milliner 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

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

Meaning and origin of Milliner

The surname MILLINER originates from England and dates back to the 13th century. It is an occupational name derived from the Old French word 'milener', meaning a maker or seller of hats and other headgear.

This name was particularly common in the counties of Berkshire, Gloucestershire, and Somerset, where the milliners' trade flourished. The earliest recorded spelling of the name is found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it appears as 'le Milener'.

In the 14th century, the name is mentioned in the Gild Roll of Norwich, dated 1379, as 'Millenere'. This document provides evidence of the trade's presence in the city during that period.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname is Robert Millener, who was born in Gloucester in 1412. He was a prominent hat maker and supplier to the royal court.

Another notable figure was John Milliner, a successful merchant and alderman in the city of London, who lived from 1523 to 1597. He was a member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1586.

In the 16th century, the name was sometimes spelled as 'Millyner', as seen in the records of St. Mary's Church in Beverley, Yorkshire, where a William Millyner was baptized in 1567.

During the 17th century, the surname was also found in the form 'Millner', as evidenced by the birth of Thomas Millner in Warwickshire in 1623.

A notable bearer of this name was Sir Christopher Milliner (1648-1719), a wealthy businessman and landowner from Somerset. He served as the High Sheriff of Somerset in 1687 and was knighted by King James II in 1688.

In the 18th century, the name appears in various parish records across England, such as the baptism of Mary Milliner in Wiltshire in 1758.

Throughout its history, the surname MILLINER has been associated with the hat-making trade and has been carried by individuals of varying prominence, from merchants and aldermen to landowners and knights.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milliner families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milliner 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. Gloucestershire leads with 65 Milliners recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.13x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 65 12.13x
Kent 53 5.69x
Warwickshire 43 6.24x
Bedfordshire 17 12.02x
Middlesex 15 0.55x
Wiltshire 12 4.97x
Somerset 11 2.50x
Surrey 10 0.75x
Monmouthshire 9 4.56x
Lancashire 8 0.25x
Yorkshire 6 0.22x
Oxfordshire 5 2.96x
Dorset 4 2.23x
Cheshire 3 0.50x
Cornwall 3 0.97x
Derbyshire 3 0.70x
Glamorgan 3 0.63x
Staffordshire 3 0.33x
Essex 2 0.37x
Nottinghamshire 2 0.54x
Royal Navy 1 3.07x
Sussex 1 0.22x
Worcestershire 1 0.28x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Coventry Holy Trinity in Warwickshire leads with 17 Milliners recorded in 1881 and an index of 82.64x.

Place Total Index
Coventry Holy Trinity 17 82.64x
Stockbury 13 2241.38x
Westbury On Severn East 12 99.09x
Almondsbury 11 536.59x
Leamington 11 241.23x
Malmesbury St Paul 11 528.85x
Banwell 9 562.50x
Aston 8 4.22x
Bristol St George 7 28.26x
Lynsted 7 578.51x
Westbury On Trym 7 38.57x
Hawkesbury 6 329.67x
Milton In Milton 6 151.52x
Minchinhampton 6 140.52x
Old Warden 6 1304.35x
Sandwich St Mary 6 705.88x
Wandsworth 6 22.82x
Biggleswade 5 107.99x
Bristol St James St Paul 5 28.00x
Coldashton 5 1388.89x
Hornsey 5 14.48x
Islington London 5 1.89x
Maidstone 5 18.01x
Neithrop 5 88.18x
Northill 5 378.79x
Olveston 5 331.13x
Plumstead 5 16.10x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 24.59x
Parkstone 4 191.39x
Sittingbourne 4 54.35x
Audley 3 32.89x
Canterbury St Dunstan 3 186.34x
Holy Trinity 3 4.61x
Leamington Priors 3 17.70x
Leighton In Neston 3 1250.00x
Little Bolton 3 7.20x
Llanthewy Rhytherch 3 909.09x
Llantrisant 3 25.02x
Lower Llanvrechva 3 154.64x
Redruth 3 34.29x
Borden 2 169.49x
Caterham 2 34.01x
Nottingham St Mary 2 2.10x
Nuneaton 2 25.06x
Shenfield 2 142.86x
Staveley 2 26.35x
Aspley Guise 1 74.07x
Broadwater 1 9.47x
Calne 1 20.12x
Christchurch 1 16.37x
Eckington 1 9.62x
Edgbaston 1 4.68x
Gorton 1 3.28x
Kidderminster Borough 1 4.79x
Lambeth 1 0.42x
Leeds 1 0.65x
Lewisham 1 2.01x
Llanvihangel Nigh Usk 1 1000.00x
Long Ditton 1 46.08x
Norwood 1 16.00x
Royal Navy 1 3.59x
Scarborough 1 4.07x
Shire Newton 1 140.85x
Solihull 1 20.20x
St George Hanover 1 2.81x
St Mary Woolnoth 1 666.67x
St Marylebone London 1 0.69x
Stoke Newington London 1 4.70x
Teynham 1 59.52x
Thornbury 1 27.32x
Walcot 1 4.27x
Warley 1 12.79x
Weston Super Mare 1 9.01x

Top female names

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

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 26
George 17
John 9
Thomas 7
Henry 6
James 6
Robert 6
Frederick 5
Samuel 5
Albert 4
Charles 4
Alfred 3
Edward 3
Ernest 3
Fred 2
Harry 2
Herbert 2
Isaac 2
Richard 2
Theophilus 2
Walter 2
Willm. 2
Arthur 1
Benjamin 1
Charels 1
David 1
Edwin 1
Frank 1
Geo. 1
Issac 1
Jnd. 1
Joseph 1
Josiah 1
Lot 1
Matthew 1
Nehemiah 1
Newton 1
Reuben 1
Rouben 1
Sidney 1
Strainge 1
Sydney 1
Thos. 1
Tom 1
Wm. 1

FAQ

Milliner surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milliner surname in 1881?

In 1881, 279 people were recorded with the Milliner surname. That placed it at #10,230 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milliner surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 380 in 2016. That gives Milliner a modern rank of #12,346.

What does the Milliner surname mean?

An occupational surname for a hat maker or seller of women's hats.

What does the Milliner map show?

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