NameCensus.

UK surname

Millis

Derived from the Gaelic "O'Maoilios," meaning "descendant of a devotee of Jesus," or from a place name meaning "mill."

In the 1881 census there were 268 people recorded with the Millis surname, ranking it #10,542 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 418, ranked #11,472, down from #10,542 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames and Tunbridge, Bidborough. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Waverley, Brighton and Hove and Lewes.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millis is 476 in 1911. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 56.0%.

1881 census count

268

Ranked #10,542

Modern count

418

2016, ranked #11,472

Peak year

1911

476 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Millis had 268 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #10,542 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 418 in 2016, ranked #11,472.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 476 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Millis surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millis surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Millis 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 219 #9,712
1861 historical 367 #6,963
1881 historical 268 #10,542
1891 historical 441 #8,197
1901 historical 453 #8,671
1911 historical 476 #8,124
1997 modern 429 #10,440
1998 modern 437 #10,637
1999 modern 431 #10,840
2000 modern 428 #10,850
2001 modern 427 #10,673
2002 modern 436 #10,712
2003 modern 418 #10,896
2004 modern 425 #10,779
2005 modern 412 #10,942
2006 modern 404 #11,159
2007 modern 401 #11,353
2008 modern 399 #11,494
2009 modern 406 #11,586
2010 modern 428 #11,352
2011 modern 432 #11,132
2012 modern 444 #10,775
2013 modern 445 #10,928
2014 modern 434 #11,246
2015 modern 417 #11,532
2016 modern 418 #11,472

Geography

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Where Millis' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Kingston-on-Thames, Tunbridge, Bidborough and St Marylebone. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Waverley, Brighton and Hove, Lewes, Herefordshire and Canterbury. 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 London parishes London 1
2 Kingston-on-Thames Surrey
3 London parishes London 3
4 Tunbridge, Bidborough Kent
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Waverley 008 Waverley
2 Brighton and Hove 009 Brighton and Hove
3 Lewes 002 Lewes
4 Herefordshire 019 Herefordshire, County of
5 Canterbury 001 Canterbury

Forenames

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First names often paired with Millis

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Millis

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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Millis surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Millis household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

London Fringe

Within London, Millis is most associated with areas classed as London Fringe, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. 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

Predominantly located in neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Greater London, residents of these neighbourhoods typically have their highest qualifications below degree (Level 4) level, with those still in work engaged in skilled trades and occupations in distribution, hotels and restaurants. There is low ethnic diversity in these neighbourhoods and high levels of Christian religious affiliation. Detached or terraced houses predominate, often with spare rooms.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Millis is most concentrated in decile 8 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.

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Millis falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

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

Meaning and origin of Millis

The surname Millis is of English origin, deriving from the Old English words "mylen" and "hyll," which together translate to "mill hill." This suggests that the name's earliest bearers likely resided near a windmill or watermill situated on a hill. The name can be traced back to the medieval period, with records showing various spellings such as Millhills, Millis, and Myllys.

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which mentions a landowner named Radulfus de Millehilla in Essex. This entry indicates that the name was already established in England by the late 11th century.

In the 13th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir John de Millys, a knight who fought in the Barons' War against King Henry III. Records from this period also mention a Robert de Millis, who was a landowner in Wiltshire.

During the 16th century, the surname Millis gained prominence with the birth of Richard Millis (1510-1578), a prominent merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1569. Another notable bearer was Sir Thomas Millis (1550-1626), a member of parliament and landowner in Hertfordshire.

In the 17th century, the name was associated with the Millis family of Warwickshire, who owned substantial estates in the region. One of their members, William Millis (1625-1698), was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on historical and theological topics.

The 18th century saw the birth of Sir John Millis (1715-1793), a distinguished naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was knighted for his bravery and military achievements.

As the name spread across England, it also found its way to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the Americas and other English-speaking regions through migration and colonization.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Millis families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millis 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. Kent leads with 62 Millis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.95x.

County Total Index
Kent 62 6.95x
Surrey 62 4.87x
Middlesex 47 1.80x
Derbyshire 19 4.64x
Leicestershire 17 5.87x
Sussex 12 2.72x
Berkshire 8 4.08x
Yorkshire 7 0.27x
Lancashire 6 0.19x
Angus 5 2.06x
Worcestershire 4 1.17x
Bedfordshire 3 2.22x
Gloucestershire 3 0.59x
Hampshire 2 0.37x
Lanarkshire 2 0.24x
Ayrshire 1 0.51x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.60x
Cheshire 1 0.17x
Cornwall 1 0.34x
Midlothian 1 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 1 0.28x
Perthshire 1 0.85x
Royal Navy 1 3.21x
Staffordshire 1 0.11x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Tonbridge in Kent leads with 18 Millis' recorded in 1881 and an index of 55.95x.

Place Total Index
Tonbridge 18 55.95x
Kingston On Thames 15 49.02x
Croydon 14 19.80x
Brighton 12 13.50x
Leicester St Mary 12 51.24x
Normanton 12 346.82x
Cobham 10 478.47x
St Pancras London 9 4.28x
Kemsing 8 2000.00x
Sandhurst 8 210.53x
Canterbury St Alphage 7 736.84x
Harrow 7 175.00x
Laxton 7 3333.33x
Chalk 6 1935.48x
Mortlake 6 105.63x
Seal 6 416.67x
Ashton In Makerfield 5 56.63x
Derby St Werburgh 5 21.16x
Hammersmith London 5 7.77x
Kensington London 5 3.44x
Leicester St Margaret 5 7.07x
Liff Benvie 5 13.60x
Camberwell 4 2.40x
Farnham 4 40.40x
Fulham London 4 10.55x
Paddington London 4 4.16x
Plumstead 4 13.45x
Worcester St Michael 4 1025.64x
Bristol St Paul In 3 21.96x
Ightham 3 267.86x
Islington London 3 1.18x
Newington 3 3.11x
Sevenoaks 3 41.49x
St Marylebone London 3 2.15x
Bethnal Green London 2 1.76x
Chatham 2 8.15x
Cranfield 2 153.85x
Derby All Sts 2 58.48x
Govan 2 0.96x
Long Ditton 2 96.15x
Maidstone 2 7.53x
Southwark St Saviour 2 14.89x
Aldershot 1 5.57x
Alverstoke 1 5.16x
Bedford St Paul 1 10.78x
Beith 1 17.12x
Burton Upon Trent 1 4.85x
Dalkeith 1 14.47x
Ealing 1 4.28x
Eccleston In Prescot 1 6.42x
Ely Holy Trinity St Mary 1 13.85x
Hackney London 1 0.68x
Hawkhurst 1 36.10x
Isleworth 1 8.61x
Lambeth 1 0.44x
Logie 1 23.75x
Macclesfield 1 3.90x
Norwood 1 16.72x
Paul 1 18.59x
Reigate Foreign 1 7.25x
Royal Navy 1 3.76x
St George Hanover 1 2.93x
Sutton In Ashfield 1 13.07x
Wingham 1 97.09x
Woolwich 1 3.03x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 17
Ellen 7
Annie 6
Sarah 6
Ann 5
Elizabeth 5
Emily 5
Jane 5
Alice 4
Eliza 4
Emma 4
Louisa 4
Susannah 4
Edith 3
Fanny 3
Florence 3
Margaret 3
Martha 3
Ada 2
Agnes 2
Amy 2
Beatrice 2
Catherine 2
Charlotte 2
Frances 2
Harriett 2
Maria 2
Marion 2
Ruth 2
Carrie 1
Cecelia 1
Daisey 1
E. 1
Ennily 1
Georgina 1
Gertrude 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Hilda 1
Infant 1
Julia 1
Lilian 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1
Nellie 1
Rachel 1
Rimilion 1
Rosa 1
Rose 1
Violet 1

Top male names

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

FAQ

Millis surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millis surname in 1881?

In 1881, 268 people were recorded with the Millis surname. That placed it at #10,542 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millis surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 418 in 2016. That gives Millis a modern rank of #11,472.

What does the Millis surname mean?

Derived from the Gaelic "O'Maoilios," meaning "descendant of a devotee of Jesus," or from a place name meaning "mill."

What does the Millis map show?

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