NameCensus.

UK surname

Milsom

A locational surname derived from the Old English words "mylen" meaning mill and "ham" meaning homestead or settlement.

In the 1881 census there were 1,025 people recorded with the Milsom surname, ranking it #3,827 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,875, ranked #3,393, up from #3,827 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster and Radstock. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bath and North East Somerset, Rhondda Cynon Taf and South Gloucestershire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milsom is 1,971 in 2002. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 82.9%.

1881 census count

1,025

Ranked #3,827

Modern count

1,875

2016, ranked #3,393

Peak year

2002

1,971 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Milsom had 1,025 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,827 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,875 in 2016, ranked #3,393.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,431 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living.

Milsom surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Milsom surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Milsom 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 659 #3,932
1861 historical 332 #7,673
1881 historical 1,025 #3,827
1891 historical 745 #5,342
1901 historical 1,431 #3,552
1911 historical 1,190 #3,943
1997 modern 1,883 #3,199
1998 modern 1,945 #3,225
1999 modern 1,964 #3,222
2000 modern 1,944 #3,236
2001 modern 1,930 #3,198
2002 modern 1,971 #3,210
2003 modern 1,912 #3,223
2004 modern 1,926 #3,206
2005 modern 1,887 #3,230
2006 modern 1,882 #3,257
2007 modern 1,871 #3,295
2008 modern 1,859 #3,329
2009 modern 1,901 #3,338
2010 modern 1,929 #3,376
2011 modern 1,907 #3,365
2012 modern 1,876 #3,360
2013 modern 1,915 #3,358
2014 modern 1,911 #3,380
2015 modern 1,880 #3,394
2016 modern 1,875 #3,393

Geography

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Where Milsoms are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bristol City: St Mary Redcliff, Bedminster, Radstock, London parishes and St Philip and Jacob. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bath and North East Somerset, Rhondda Cynon Taf and South Gloucestershire. 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 Bedminster Somerset
3 Radstock Somerset
4 London parishes London 3
5 St Philip and Jacob Gloucestershire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bath and North East Somerset 026 Bath and North East Somerset
2 Rhondda Cynon Taf 031 Rhondda Cynon Taf
3 South Gloucestershire 031 South Gloucestershire
4 Bath and North East Somerset 022 Bath and North East Somerset
5 South Gloucestershire 026 South Gloucestershire

Forenames

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First names often paired with Milsom

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Milsom

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Milsom, 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 Milsom surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Inner Suburbs and Small Town Living, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Milsom 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

Young Families and Mainstream Employment

Group

Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs

Within London, Milsom is most associated with areas classed as Terraced and Semi-Detached Suburbs, part of Young Families and Mainstream Employment. 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 concentrated in suburban areas, these terraced and semi-detached developments are less overcrowded than the Supergroup average, and resident households are more likely to own two or more cars. There are fewer residents aged 25-44, and a larger share of residents employed in administrative and secretarial occupations. Residents are more likely to have been born in the UK, less likely to have been born in the EU or Africa, and much less likely to self-identify as Bangladeshi.

Wider London pattern

Many families in these neighbourhoods have young children. Housing is principally in the social rented sector, in terraced or semi-detached units. While over-all residential densities are low, overcrowding is also prevalent locally. Residents are drawn from a range of ethnic minorities, with many identifying as Black and above average numbers born in Africa. Numbers identifying as of Chinese, Indian or White ethnicity are below average. Levels of proficiency in English are below average. Levels of separation or divorce and incidence of disability are both above average. Education is typically limited to Level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. Few residents work in professional or managerial occupations but the employment structure is otherwise diverse: it includes skilled trades, caring, leisure and other service occupations, sales and customer service occupations, construction, and work as process, plant, and machine operatives.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Milsom is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

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

Meaning and origin of Milsom

The surname Milsom originated in England, likely in the late 12th or early 13th century. It is a locational surname, derived from the Old English words "mylen" meaning "mill" and "ham" meaning "homestead" or "village." The name likely referred to someone who lived near or worked at a mill.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire in 1273, where it is spelled "Milnham." This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appears in various spellings such as "Milneham," "Mulnesham," and "Mulnesholme" in records from counties like Oxfordshire, Somerset, and Gloucestershire. These variations reflect the regional dialects and scribal practices of the time.

The Milsom family is known to have held land and property in several areas, including Milsom in Wiltshire and Milsom in Somerset. These place names are likely derived from the same Old English roots as the surname itself.

Notable individuals with the surname Milsom include:

1. Sir John Milsom (c. 1480 - c. 1550), a wealthy merchant and Lord Mayor of London in 1535. 2. Robert Milsom (c. 1516 - 1591), an English lawyer and member of Parliament for Guildford in 1558. 3. William Milsom (1589 - 1653), an English clergyman and author of religious works. 4. John Milsom (1633 - 1702), an English landowner and philanthropist who established the Milsom Almshouses in Bath. 5. Thomas Milsom (1735 - 1805), an English architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in Bath, including the Milsom Street development.

The name has also been associated with various places and landmarks, such as the village of Milsom in Somerset, which was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, and Milsom Street in Bath, named after the architect Thomas Milsom.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Milsom families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milsom 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 299 Milsoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 15.26x.

County Total Index
Gloucestershire 299 15.26x
Somerset 163 10.14x
Wiltshire 122 13.81x
Middlesex 96 0.96x
Yorkshire 81 0.82x
Surrey 53 1.09x
Glamorgan 37 2.13x
Berkshire 31 4.13x
Devon 24 1.15x
Hampshire 24 1.17x
Monmouthshire 20 2.77x
Lancashire 14 0.12x
Sussex 11 0.65x
Kent 9 0.26x
Lincolnshire 8 0.50x
Suffolk 7 0.58x
Durham 6 0.20x
Essex 6 0.30x
Nottinghamshire 4 0.30x
Warwickshire 3 0.12x
Hertfordshire 2 0.29x
Dorset 1 0.15x
Midlothian 1 0.07x
Royal Navy 1 0.84x
Staffordshire 1 0.03x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bristol St George in Gloucestershire leads with 91 Milsoms recorded in 1881 and an index of 100.43x.

Place Total Index
Bristol St George 91 100.43x
Bristol St Philip Jacob 66 35.78x
Radstock 54 510.88x
Wakefield 54 71.06x
Bradford On Avon 26 91.94x
Pucklechurch 23 520.36x
Bedminster 17 11.25x
St Marylebone London 17 3.19x
Bath St James 16 95.41x
Chipping Sodbury 16 438.36x
Preshute 16 294.66x
Shoreditch London 16 3.70x
Wellow 16 338.27x
Bitton 15 87.98x
Lambeth 15 1.72x
Box 14 185.92x
Stapleton 14 37.67x
Cardiff St John 12 21.12x
St Pancras London 12 1.49x
Walcot 12 14.01x
Bideford 11 49.39x
Laycock 11 275.00x
Reading St Giles 11 14.95x
Sopworth 11 1641.79x
Trowbridge 10 25.61x
Bristol St James St Paul 9 13.78x
Camberwell 9 1.41x
Old Sodbury 9 367.35x
South Stoke 9 676.69x
Basingstoke 8 33.97x
Carshalton 8 42.96x
Llansannor 8 1250.00x
Windle 8 12.00x
Hampstead Norris 7 148.62x
Llanover 7 28.39x
Lower Machen 7 197.18x
Lowestoft 7 12.18x
Mile End New Town 7 51.32x
Plumstead 7 6.16x
Rye 7 43.72x
Southampton All Sts 7 19.93x
Spittlegate 7 31.69x
Wraxall 7 228.01x
Bermondsey 6 2.02x
Bristol Temple 6 46.51x
Cheltenham 6 3.97x
Hammersmith London 6 2.44x
Roath 6 7.59x
St George Hanover 6 4.60x
Yate 6 139.86x
Corsham 5 38.79x
Gateshead 5 2.25x
Great Hinton 5 877.19x
Horfield 5 25.36x
Islington London 5 0.52x
Luckington 5 434.78x
Rayleigh 5 110.13x
Southampton St Mary 5 3.88x
St George Martyr 5 29.69x
Tibberton 5 403.23x
Twerton 5 30.16x
Wotton Under Edge 5 43.29x
Chippenham 4 21.59x
Denby 4 74.91x
Eccleston In Prescot 4 6.72x
Hornsey 4 3.17x
Hove 4 5.41x
Langtoft 4 188.68x
Llantrisant 4 9.12x
Llanwonno 4 6.40x
Mangotsfield 4 20.48x
Southwark Christchurch 4 8.55x
Sowton 4 285.71x
St Sepulchre London 4 27.36x
Stapleford 4 36.60x
Tanshelf 4 50.57x
Weston In Gordano 4 645.16x
Newport 3 8.71x
Plymouth St Andrew 3 1.87x
Selby 3 14.50x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 66
Sarah 41
Elizabeth 39
Ann 22
Jane 21
Emily 20
Eliza 19
Emma 17
Annie 15
Caroline 13
Ellen 12
Florence 12
Hannah 12
Louisa 12
Alice 11
Kate 10
Martha 10
Charlotte 9
Maria 9
Ada 6
Clara 6
Edith 6
Agnes 5
Fanny 5
Esther 4
Julia 4
Lucy 4
Matilda 4
Minnie 4
Rebecca 4
Amelia 3
Anne 3
Elizth. 3
Frances 3
Harriett 3
Lily 3
Margaret 3
Maud 3
Rhoda 3
Susan 3
Catherine 2
Dinah 2
Eleanor 2
Flora 2
Georgina 2
Gertrude 2
Laura 2
Mabel 2
Rosa 2
Rose 2

Top male names

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

Name Count
William 63
George 62
John 41
Henry 36
Charles 34
James 33
Thomas 29
Albert 14
Edward 12
Frederick 12
Francis 11
Joseph 11
Richard 10
Samuel 9
Alfred 8
Robert 7
Arthur 6
Edwin 6
Harry 5
Oliver 5
Tom 5
Andrew 3
Ernest 3
Isaac 3
Walter 3
Wm. 3
Aaron 2
Abraham 2
David 2
Fred 2
Frederic 2
Fredrick 2
Jas. 2
Job 2
Thos. 2
Willm. 2
Alice 1
Chas. 1
Chs.R. 1
Clark 1
Daniel 1
Frank 1
Fredick 1
Fredk. 1
Jno. 1
Joe 1
Leonard 1
Percy 1
Ralph 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Milsom surname: questions and answers

How common was the Milsom surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,025 people were recorded with the Milsom surname. That placed it at #3,827 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Milsom surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,875 in 2016. That gives Milsom a modern rank of #3,393.

What does the Milsom surname mean?

A locational surname derived from the Old English words "mylen" meaning mill and "ham" meaning homestead or settlement.

What does the Milsom map show?

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