NameCensus.

UK surname

Milloy

A surname derived from the Old French 'milloi' meaning a miller or grinder of grain.

In the 1881 census there were 246 people recorded with the Milloy surname, ranking it #11,201 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 399, ranked #11,902, down from #11,201 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Killean and Kilchenzie, Govan Combination and Eccles. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Altonhill North and Onthank, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central and Greenock Town Centre and East Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milloy is 399 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 62.2%.

1881 census count

246

Ranked #11,201

Modern count

399

2016, ranked #11,902

Peak year

2016

399 bearers

Map years

7

1861 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milloy had 246 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #11,201 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 399 in 2016, ranked #11,902.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 281 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities.

Milloy surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milloy surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milloy 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 78 #19,840
1861 historical 149 #15,373
1881 historical 246 #11,201
1891 historical 247 #12,880
1901 historical 281 #12,167
1911 historical 34 #29,600
1997 modern 326 #12,811
1998 modern 354 #12,438
1999 modern 358 #12,416
2000 modern 355 #12,430
2001 modern 354 #12,274
2002 modern 363 #12,296
2003 modern 361 #12,140
2004 modern 348 #12,495
2005 modern 349 #12,390
2006 modern 345 #12,571
2007 modern 344 #12,743
2008 modern 354 #12,591
2009 modern 368 #12,476
2010 modern 371 #12,679
2011 modern 381 #12,300
2012 modern 383 #12,099
2013 modern 388 #12,204
2014 modern 395 #12,125
2015 modern 394 #12,038
2016 modern 399 #11,902

Geography

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Where Milloys are most common

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

The modern local-area list points to Altonhill North and Onthank, Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central, Greenock Town Centre and East Central, Campbeltown and Durno-Chapel of Garioch. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Killean and Kilchenzie Argyll
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Eccles Lancashire
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Altonhill North and Onthank East Ayrshire
2 Port Glasgow Upper, West and Central Inverclyde
3 Greenock Town Centre and East Central Inverclyde
4 Campbeltown Argyll and Bute
5 Durno-Chapel of Garioch Aberdeenshire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milloy

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milloy

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

Legacy Communities

Group

Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities

Nationally, the Milloy surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Legacy and Demographically Mixed Communities, within Legacy Communities. This does not mean every Milloy household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Households in these areas often include divorced or separated parents and commonly include children and young adults. The age structure is heavily skewed towards the most advanced age groups. Individuals identifying as members of ethnic minorities are not present in large numbers. Flats predominate, with some terraced, semi-detached, and detached units. Multiple car ownership is low, and housing is predominantly in the private and social rented sectors. Employment is less skewed towards traditional routine industrial occupations. Levels of educational attainment are generally low. The Group occurs principally in the Central Lowlands of Scotland and other Scottish towns.

Wider pattern

These neighbourhoods characteristically comprise pockets of flats that are scattered across the UK, particularly in towns that retain or have legacies of heavy industry or are in more remote seaside locations. Employed residents of these neighbourhoods work mainly in low-skilled occupations. Residents typically have limited educational qualifications. Unemployment is above average. Some residents live in overcrowded housing within the social rented sector and experience long-term disability. All adult age groups are represented, although there is an overall age bias towards elderly people in general and the very old in particular. Individuals identifying as belonging to ethnic minorities or Mixed or Multiple ethnic groups are uncommon.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Milloy 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

Milloy is most concentrated in decile 3 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Milloy

The surname Milloy is of Scottish origin, with its roots tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Old French word "molloy" or "moloy," meaning "a bare hill or summit." This suggests that the name was originally associated with those who lived on or near a barren hilltop or elevated area.

One of the earliest documented references to the Milloy name can be found in the Scottish Borders region, where the family is thought to have originated. In the 16th century, records show that a branch of the Milloy clan had settled in the area around Roxburghshire and Dumfriesshire.

During the 17th century, the Milloy surname began to spread across Scotland, with several notable individuals bearing the name. One such person was John Milloy, a Scottish minister and theologian born in 1642, who served as the minister of Pencaitland Parish Church in East Lothian.

In the 18th century, the Milloy name gained prominence with the birth of Robert Milloy (1735-1809), a renowned Scottish architect and surveyor. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings in Edinburgh, including the old College of Edinburgh and the North Bridge.

As the Milloy family continued to grow and disperse throughout the United Kingdom, some members migrated to other parts of the world, including North America. One notable figure was William Milloy (1826-1892), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons from 1878 to 1887.

Another significant individual bearing the Milloy surname was Sir Frederick Milloy (1867-1952), a British military officer who served in the Second Boer War and World War I. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for his bravery and leadership during the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

Throughout its history, the Milloy surname has been associated with various spellings and variations, including Molloy, Mullay, and Mulloy, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and linguistic influences encountered by the family over time.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milloy families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milloy 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 58 Milloys recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.47x.

County Total Index
Lanarkshire 58 7.47x
Argyllshire 53 79.34x
Ayrshire 48 26.73x
Renfrewshire 33 17.75x
Lancashire 30 1.05x
Buteshire 9 61.90x
Kent 5 0.61x
Midlothian 4 1.24x
Dunbartonshire 2 3.10x
Surrey 2 0.17x
Glamorgan 1 0.24x
Perthshire 1 0.93x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Campbeltown in Argyllshire leads with 30 Milloys recorded in 1881 and an index of 372.21x.

Place Total Index
Campbeltown 30 372.21x
Pendleton In Salford 29 85.50x
Kilmarnock 28 131.02x
Barony 22 11.20x
West Greenock 18 53.92x
Glasgow 16 11.61x
Killean Kilchenzie 11 964.91x
Govan 9 4.69x
Rothesay 9 127.84x
Middle Greenock 6 118.34x
Rutherglen 6 52.68x
Ardrossan 5 80.39x
Cambusnethan 5 29.00x
Deptford St Paul 5 7.92x
Dundonald 5 75.53x
Glassary 5 138.89x
Saddell Skipness 5 526.32x
Irvine 4 80.16x
Dalry 3 35.50x
East Greenock 3 17.08x
Eastwood 3 26.20x
Edinburgh St Georges 3 44.98x
Riccarton 3 110.70x
Inverkip 2 45.66x
Bonhill 1 9.66x
Camberwell 1 0.65x
Dumbarton 1 11.14x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 1 0.77x
Eglwysilan 1 13.79x
Everton 1 1.10x
Gigha Cara 1 312.50x
Knapdale South 1 43.67x
Little Dunkeld 1 54.64x
Neilston 1 10.71x
Southwark St George Martyr 1 2.07x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Milloy 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 Milloy 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 Milloy households.

FAQ

Milloy surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milloy surname in 1881?

In 1881, 246 people were recorded with the Milloy surname. That placed it at #11,201 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milloy surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 399 in 2016. That gives Milloy a modern rank of #11,902.

What does the Milloy surname mean?

A surname derived from the Old French 'milloi' meaning a miller or grinder of grain.

What does the Milloy map show?

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