NameCensus.

UK surname

Millwood

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a mill in or by a wood.

In the 1881 census there were 417 people recorded with the Millwood surname, ranking it #7,732 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 366, ranked #12,690, down from #7,732 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Pancras and Lambeth. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Brent, Sandwell and Wyre.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Millwood is 484 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 12.2%.

1881 census count

417

Ranked #7,732

Modern count

366

2016, ranked #12,690

Peak year

1901

484 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Millwood had 417 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #7,732 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016, ranked #12,690.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 484 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations.

Millwood surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Millwood surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Millwood 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 249 #8,816
1861 historical 366 #6,987
1881 historical 417 #7,732
1891 historical 472 #7,778
1901 historical 484 #8,244
1911 historical 466 #8,281
1997 modern 302 #13,459
1998 modern 311 #13,550
1999 modern 321 #13,362
2000 modern 332 #13,023
2001 modern 324 #13,062
2002 modern 328 #13,186
2003 modern 321 #13,218
2004 modern 328 #13,058
2005 modern 318 #13,302
2006 modern 325 #13,165
2007 modern 320 #13,442
2008 modern 323 #13,462
2009 modern 350 #12,972
2010 modern 376 #12,548
2011 modern 374 #12,464
2012 modern 363 #12,592
2013 modern 364 #12,790
2014 modern 374 #12,598
2015 modern 367 #12,696
2016 modern 366 #12,690

Geography

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Where Millwoods are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Pancras, Lambeth 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 Brent, Sandwell, Wyre, Wellingborough and Enfield. 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 London parishes London 3
3 St Pancras London (North Districts)
4 Lambeth London (South Districts)
5 St Marylebone London (North Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Brent 008 Brent
2 Sandwell 026 Sandwell
3 Wyre 004 Wyre
4 Wellingborough 001 Wellingborough
5 Enfield 002 Enfield

Forenames

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First names often paired with Millwood

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Millwood

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

Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities

Group

Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations

Nationally, the Millwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ethnically Diverse Families in Less Connected Locations, within Low-Skilled Migrant and Student Communities. This does not mean every Millwood household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is often found in less central parts of London and other major towns and cities. Adults are more likely than the Supergroup average to have never been married and are typically aged less than 45 years. Many have young dependent children and individuals may have been born in Africa. There are many members identifying with a Black ethnic group, with the other ethnic groups (as listed in the glossary) also represented, though Chinese less so. Accommodation in flats, frequently socially rented, is common in these neighbourhoods. Part time employment is also common, and work is often in elementary occupations, while unemployment is also the highest within this Supergroup.

Wider pattern

Young adults, many of whom are students, predominate in these high-density and overcrowded neighbourhoods of rented terrace houses or flats. Most ethnic minorities are present in these communities, as are people born in European countries that are not part of the EU. Students aside, low skilled occupations predominate, and unemployment rates are above average. Overall, the mix of students and more sedentary households means that neighbourhood average numbers of children are not very high. The Mixed or Multiple ethnic group composition of neighbourhoods is often associated with low rates of affiliation to Christian religions. This Supergroup predominates in non-central urban locations the UK, particularly within England in the Midlands and the outskirts of west, south and north-east London.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Millwood is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Millwood is most concentrated in decile 10 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.

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Millwood

The surname MILLWOOD is of English origin, first appearing in the medieval period. It is a locational surname, deriving from the various places named Millwood in England, such as those found in Buckinghamshire, Derbyshire, and Staffordshire. The name is composed of the Old English elements "myllen" meaning mill and "wudu" meaning wood, indicating that the original bearers of the name resided near a mill in a wooded area.

Records indicate that the earliest known spelling of the surname was "de Millenwude," found in the Pipe Rolls of Sussex in 1230. This early form highlights the locational origin of the name, with the prefix "de" signifying "from" or "of." As people began to adopt hereditary surnames, those residing near a mill in a wooded region would have taken on the name MILLWOOD or variations like MILWOOD or MILLEWODE.

The MILLWOOD name appeared in various historical documents, including the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, where a William de Milnewode was listed in Oxfordshire. Additionally, a John Milwood was recorded in the Feet of Fines for Essex in 1381, further establishing the presence of the surname in different parts of England.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Richard Millwood, born in 1564 in Staffordshire, England. He was a prominent landowner and local official in his community. Another notable bearer of the name was Thomas Millwood (1607-1668), a clergyman who served as the Rector of Penshurst in Kent.

In the 17th century, John Millwood (1623-1701) was a respected merchant and alderman in the City of London, while William Millwood (1640-1712) was a renowned botanist and author of "The Gardener's Dictionary," a landmark work on horticulture.

In the realm of literature, the name gained recognition through the works of Samuel Millwood (1725-1799), an English playwright and poet. His most famous work, "The Deserted Village," was a widely acclaimed and influential poem.

Throughout history, the MILLWOOD surname has been associated with various occupations and achievements, from landowners and clergymen to merchants and writers, further enriching its legacy and highlighting its enduring presence in English society.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Millwood families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Millwood 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. Middlesex leads with 134 Millwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.29x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 134 3.29x
Surrey 70 3.53x
Lancashire 52 1.08x
Yorkshire 33 0.82x
Warwickshire 25 2.44x
Staffordshire 23 1.68x
Leicestershire 14 3.10x
Cheshire 12 1.34x
Glamorgan 10 1.41x
Nottinghamshire 6 1.09x
Shropshire 6 1.71x
Buckinghamshire 4 1.63x
Hertfordshire 4 1.43x
Lanarkshire 4 0.30x
Cornwall 3 0.65x
Derbyshire 3 0.47x
Northumberland 3 0.50x
Durham 2 0.17x
Oxfordshire 2 0.80x
Berkshire 1 0.33x
Denbighshire 1 0.65x
Dorset 1 0.37x
Gloucestershire 1 0.13x
Sussex 1 0.15x
Wiltshire 1 0.28x
Worcestershire 1 0.19x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Camberwell in Surrey leads with 23 Millwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.85x.

Place Total Index
Camberwell 23 8.85x
Islington London 22 5.58x
Newington 20 13.31x
St Marylebone London 20 9.21x
Bury 14 25.39x
Whitwick 13 226.88x
Enfield 12 44.96x
St Pancras London 12 3.67x
Kimberworth 10 44.70x
St George Hanover 10 18.84x
Wolstanton Thursfield 10 598.80x
Aston 9 3.19x
Warrington 9 15.73x
Birmingham 8 2.34x
Church Lawton 8 695.65x
St Clement Danes 8 121.58x
Streatham 8 26.51x
Merthyr Tydfil 7 10.28x
Great Bolton 6 9.39x
Hackney London 6 2.63x
Halifax 6 10.14x
Hammersmith London 6 5.99x
Nottingham St Mary 6 4.23x
Southwark St George Martyr 6 7.33x
Stretford 6 22.59x
Everton 5 3.25x
Friern Barnet 5 55.80x
Isleworth 5 27.65x
Lambeth 5 1.41x
Methley 5 88.03x
Normanby In 5 46.38x
Prees 5 116.82x
Uxbridge 5 107.53x
Barony 4 1.20x
Blackley 4 47.28x
Bradwell 4 115.61x
Spitalfields London 4 13.07x
St Andrew Holborn 4 29.01x
Tipton 4 9.51x
Watford 4 18.40x
Wolston Marston 4 519.48x
Bermondsey 3 2.48x
Cheadle 3 17.49x
Clapham 3 5.90x
Coventry St Michael 3 9.10x
Hexham 3 32.02x
Kensington London 3 1.33x
Mexborough 3 37.50x
Mile End Old Town 3 4.67x
Tregoney St James 3 352.94x
Cheetham 2 5.56x
Chesterfield 2 8.38x
Ealing 2 5.50x
Gateshead 2 2.21x
Launton 2 240.96x
Leek Lowe 2 10.95x
Pentyrch 2 68.26x
Radcliffe 2 8.59x
Wakefield 2 6.46x
Walsall Borough 2 18.76x
Wolverhampton 2 1.89x
Breedon 1 100.00x
Brighton 1 0.72x
Chelsea London 1 0.82x
Chertsey 1 7.81x
Chester St Martin 1 69.93x
Clifton 1 2.48x
Derby St Werburgh 1 2.72x
Fulham London 1 1.70x
Kings Norton 1 2.10x
Norwood 1 10.75x
Pendleton In Salford 1 1.74x
Royton 1 6.77x
Shrewsbury St Mary 1 7.21x
Southwark Christchurch 1 5.25x
St Martin In Fields 1 4.11x
St Stephen Walbrook 1 714.29x
Westminster St John 1 2.02x
Weymouth 1 19.76x
Wolstanton 1 2.40x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 21
Elizabeth 14
Jane 14
Sarah 13
Eliza 12
Emma 10
Ellen 9
Hannah 9
Ann 8
Emily 6
Harriet 5
Edith 4
Florence 4
Caroline 3
Charlotte 3
Fanny 3
Grace 3
Louisa 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Amelia 2
Annie 2
Elizth. 2
Frances 2
Lydia 2
Margaret 2
Martha 2
Rebecca 2
Rose 2
Susana 2
Amy 1
Betsy 1
Blanche 1
Catherine 1
Dorothy 1
Elizebeth 1
Esther 1
Ethel 1
Fannie 1
Fran. 1
Jemima 1
Jesse. 1
Jessie 1
Jessy 1
Kate 1
Lilly 1
Lizzie 1
Lucy 1
Maryann 1
Zilla 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 30
John 20
George 15
Thomas 15
Henry 11
James 9
Robert 9
Alfred 8
Arthur 7
Joseph 7
Charles 6
Edward 5
Alfd. 4
Frederick 4
Herbert 4
Albert 3
Ernest 3
Frank 3
Geo. 3
Harry 3
Richard 3
David 2
Fredk. 2
Benjamin 1
Edgar 1
Edmund 1
Edwd. 1
Edwin 1
Elizabeth 1
Emanuel 1
Fred 1
Frederik 1
Fredk.B. 1
Fredk.G. 1
Fredrick 1
Geoffrey 1
German 1
Horace 1
Hy. 1
J. 1
Jacob 1
Jervis 1
Jno.Hy. 1
Josiah 1
Lewis 1
Mark 1
Reuben 1
Saml.R. 1
Samuel 1
Willie 1

FAQ

Millwood surname: questions and answers

How common was the Millwood surname in 1881?

In 1881, 417 people were recorded with the Millwood surname. That placed it at #7,732 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Millwood surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 366 in 2016. That gives Millwood a modern rank of #12,690.

What does the Millwood surname mean?

A locational surname referring to someone who lived near a mill in or by a wood.

What does the Millwood map show?

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