NameCensus.

UK surname

Millward

A surname relating to an occupation overseeing or working at a mill.

In the 1881 census there were 3,360 people recorded with the Millward surname, ranking it #1,356 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 6,252, ranked #1,079, up from #1,356 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Manchester, London parishes and Birmingham Town: Birmingham. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Derbyshire Dales, Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Moorlands.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millward is 6,681 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 86.1%.

1881 census count

3,360

Ranked #1,356

Modern count

6,252

2016, ranked #1,079

Peak year

1999

6,681 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Millward had 3,360 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,356 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 6,252 in 2016, ranked #1,079.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 5,508 in 1911.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Millward surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millward surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Millward 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 2,181 #1,338
1861 historical 2,008 #1,449
1881 historical 3,360 #1,356
1891 historical 3,855 #1,242
1901 historical 4,767 #1,187
1911 historical 5,508 #945
1997 modern 6,061 #1,083
1998 modern 6,594 #1,035
1999 modern 6,681 #1,025
2000 modern 6,607 #1,036
2001 modern 6,482 #1,027
2002 modern 6,615 #1,027
2003 modern 6,430 #1,037
2004 modern 6,464 #1,029
2005 modern 6,389 #1,024
2006 modern 6,349 #1,031
2007 modern 6,387 #1,031
2008 modern 6,382 #1,039
2009 modern 6,486 #1,045
2010 modern 6,556 #1,057
2011 modern 6,531 #1,044
2012 modern 6,369 #1,050
2013 modern 6,414 #1,065
2014 modern 6,445 #1,064
2015 modern 6,324 #1,070
2016 modern 6,252 #1,079

Geography

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Where Millwards are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Manchester, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham, Birmingham Town: Aston and West Bromwich. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Derbyshire Dales, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire Moorlands and Dudley. 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 Manchester Lancashire
2 London parishes London 2
3 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
4 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire
5 West Bromwich Staffordshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Derbyshire Dales 007 Derbyshire Dales
2 Stoke-on-Trent 004 Stoke-on-Trent
3 Staffordshire Moorlands 001 Staffordshire Moorlands
4 Dudley 008 Dudley
5 Stoke-on-Trent 008 Stoke-on-Trent

Forenames

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First names often paired with Millward

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Millward

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Millward, 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 Millward surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Millward 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, Millward 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

Millward 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

Millward 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 Millward is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Millward, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Millward

The surname MILLWARD is of English origin, originating from the Middle English words "mille" meaning mill and "ward" meaning keeper or guard. It is an occupational surname, referring to someone who was responsible for overseeing or guarding a mill, typically a windmill or watermill used for grinding grain.

The earliest known written record of the surname MILLWARD appears in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire, dated around 1273, where a person named Robert le Milleward is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century.

During the medieval period, the name MILLWARD was particularly prevalent in the counties of Staffordshire, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire, where there were numerous mills along the rivers and streams. The surname is also found in various historical documents from these areas, such as parish records, tax rolls, and court records.

One notable early bearer of the MILLWARD surname was John Millward, who was born in Warwickshire around 1480. He served as a Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1515 and 1523.

In the 16th century, a variant spelling of the name, "Milward," was common. One prominent individual with this spelling was Richard Milward, a wealthy merchant from Stratford-upon-Avon, who was born around 1540 and served as a bailiff and alderman in the town.

Another noteworthy person with the MILLWARD surname was Thomas Millward, a clergyman and author who lived in the late 17th and early 18th centuries. He was born in Warwickshire in 1672 and published several religious works, including "The Measures of God's Spiritual Edifice" in 1706.

In the 19th century, a famous bearer of the MILLWARD name was James Millward, a renowned landscape painter born in Wiltshire in 1808. He is particularly known for his depictions of rural scenes and was elected a member of the Royal Academy in 1868.

In more recent times, one prominent individual with the MILLWARD surname was Sir Geoffrey Millward, a British industrialist and philanthropist who was born in 1917. He served as the chairman of the steel company Guest, Keen and Nettlefolds and was knighted in 1967 for his services to industry.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Millward families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millward 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. Staffordshire leads with 723 Millwards recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.53x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 723 6.53x
Worcestershire 425 9.92x
Warwickshire 396 4.79x
Lancashire 349 0.90x
Derbyshire 334 6.50x
Middlesex 175 0.53x
Yorkshire 163 0.50x
Cheshire 150 2.07x
Glamorgan 100 1.75x
Shropshire 67 2.36x
Surrey 61 0.38x
Nottinghamshire 46 1.04x
Buckinghamshire 33 1.66x
Denbighshire 30 2.42x
Flintshire 28 3.18x
Kent 26 0.23x
Herefordshire 23 1.71x
Westmorland 22 3.05x
Durham 21 0.22x
Essex 20 0.31x
Gloucestershire 19 0.30x
Leicestershire 17 0.47x
Northamptonshire 14 0.45x
Bedfordshire 13 0.77x
Caernarfonshire 11 0.83x
Devon 11 0.16x
Lanarkshire 11 0.10x
Hampshire 9 0.13x
Dorset 8 0.37x
Merionethshire 7 1.17x
Northumberland 7 0.14x
Berkshire 6 0.24x
Monmouthshire 6 0.25x
Radnorshire 5 1.89x
Brecknockshire 4 0.61x
Ayrshire 3 0.12x
Huntingdonshire 3 0.46x
Sussex 3 0.05x
Wiltshire 3 0.10x
Lincolnshire 2 0.04x
Royal Navy 2 0.51x
Somerset 2 0.04x
Channel Islands 1 0.10x
Cornwall 1 0.03x
Norfolk 1 0.02x
Oxfordshire 1 0.05x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 194 Millwards recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.04x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 194 7.04x
Aston 148 6.50x
Kingswinford 83 20.64x
Kidderminster Borough 71 28.32x
West Bromwich 65 10.25x
Stoke Upon Trent 64 5.45x
Manchester 56 3.20x
Oldbury 45 21.35x
Burslem 44 13.87x
Dudley 44 8.45x
Bonsall 43 282.52x
Harborne 41 11.55x
Ribbesford 37 103.79x
Sutton In Macclesfield 37 49.23x
Ecclesall Bierlow 35 5.29x
Handsworth 33 12.09x
St Pancras London 32 1.21x
Merthyr Tydfil 31 5.65x
Wolverhampton 29 3.41x
Walsall Foreign 25 4.37x
Kings Norton 24 6.25x
Longnor 24 399.33x
Redditch 24 27.63x
Stourbridge 23 20.87x
Ashton Under Lyne 22 2.59x
Kinver 22 68.90x
Macclesfield 21 6.52x
West Derby 21 1.84x
Bethnal Green London 20 1.40x
Caverswall 20 34.75x
Hackney London 20 1.09x
Leeds 20 1.09x
Newton Blossomville 20 684.93x
Pendleton In Salford 20 4.31x
Stockport 20 5.37x
Eglwysilan 19 19.17x
Lambeth 19 0.66x
Litchurch 18 8.71x
Over Darwen 18 5.79x
Sedgley 18 4.38x
Ardwick 17 4.84x
Broughton In Salford 17 4.78x
Chorlton On Medlock 17 2.75x
Kidderminster Foreign 17 28.07x
Lye 17 23.84x
South Normanton 17 47.12x
Wirksworth 17 36.41x
Derby St Alkmund 16 10.40x
Leek Lowe 16 10.86x
Mayfield 16 115.44x
Bilston 15 6.99x
Chadderton 15 7.88x
Coventry St Michael 15 5.64x
West Ham 15 1.05x
Belper 14 14.06x
Bromsgrove 14 9.71x
Cradley 14 36.14x
Denbigh 14 28.15x
Rowley Regis 14 4.54x
Stretford 14 6.54x
Yardley 14 12.77x
Allestree 13 197.57x
Lower Mitton 13 34.44x
Thornhill 13 13.70x
Cannock 12 6.21x
Denby 12 76.53x
Kendal 12 9.09x
Liverpool 12 0.51x
Oldham 12 0.96x
Rhuddlan Rhyl 12 195.76x
Wednesfield 12 7.36x
Abergele 11 30.86x
Warslow Elkstone 11 167.94x
Willington 11 19.51x
Wolstanton 11 3.27x
Church Lawton 10 107.99x
Darlaston 10 6.53x
Fawfieldhead 10 140.65x
High Low Bishopside 10 34.67x
Tankersley 10 41.27x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 240
Sarah 142
Elizabeth 130
Ann 83
Eliza 61
Hannah 56
Jane 52
Annie 47
Emma 47
Martha 41
Alice 35
Ellen 33
Harriet 27
Fanny 26
Margaret 25
Clara 24
Emily 24
Lucy 22
Florence 19
Maria 18
Harriett 16
Ada 13
Charlotte 13
Esther 12
Louisa 12
Kate 11
Susan 11
Susannah 11
Anne 10
Catherine 10
Frances 10
Jemima 10
Rose 10
Agnes 9
Edith 9
Laura 9
Matilda 9
Maud 9
Amy 8
Lydia 8
Rebecca 8
Amelia 7
Julia 7
Priscilla 7
Bertha 6
Betsy 6
Caroline 6
Minnie 6
Selina 6
Anna 5

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 200
John 180
Thomas 138
George 118
James 102
Joseph 84
Henry 71
Charles 59
Edward 50
Samuel 46
Arthur 36
Robert 36
Frederick 33
Harry 32
Richard 28
Alfred 27
Albert 26
Edwin 22
Francis 19
Walter 19
Benjamin 17
Frank 16
Herbert 15
Ernest 11
Willm. 11
Wm. 10
David 9
Isaac 8
Jesse 7
Fred 6
Josiah 6
Philip 6
Stephen 6
Thos. 6
Abraham 5
Fredk. 5
Geo. 5
Mark 5
Percy 5
Chas. 4
Daniel 4
Earnest 4
Edgar 4
Edmund 4
Moses 4
Adam 3
Booth 3
Humphrey 3
Tom 3
W. 3

FAQ

Millward surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millward surname in 1881?

In 1881, 3,360 people were recorded with the Millward surname. That placed it at #1,356 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millward surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 6,252 in 2016. That gives Millward a modern rank of #1,079.

What does the Millward surname mean?

A surname relating to an occupation overseeing or working at a mill.

What does the Millward map show?

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