UK surname
A possible occupational name for someone engaged in milling or grinding grains or cereals.
In the 1881 census there were 5 people recorded with the Milter surname, ranking it #33,110 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1, ranked #39,061, down from #33,110 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Anne Soho, Rochdale and St Giles-in-the-Fields. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milter is 113 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 80.0%.
1881 census count
5
Ranked #33,110
Modern count
1
2016, ranked #39,061
Peak year
1891
113 bearers
Map years
1
1891 to 1891
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Milter surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Milter surname density by area, 1891 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 50 | #24,274 |
| 1861 | historical | 81 | #23,431 |
| 1881 | historical | 5 | #33,110 |
| 1891 | historical | 113 | #22,162 |
| 1901 | historical | 11 | #32,907 |
| 1911 | historical | 3 | #33,789 |
| 1997 | modern | 1 | #38,839 |
| 1998 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 1999 | modern | 2 | #38,551 |
| 2000 | modern | 2 | #38,472 |
| 2001 | modern | 1 | #38,647 |
| 2002 | modern | 2 | #38,400 |
| 2003 | modern | 1 | #38,735 |
| 2004 | modern | 1 | #38,771 |
| 2005 | modern | 1 | #38,814 |
| 2006 | modern | 1 | #38,879 |
| 2007 | modern | 1 | #38,907 |
| 2008 | modern | 1 | #38,949 |
| 2012 | modern | 1 | #38,986 |
| 2013 | modern | 2 | #38,761 |
| 2014 | modern | 1 | #39,020 |
| 2015 | modern | 1 | #39,021 |
| 2016 | modern | 1 | #39,061 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Anne Soho, Rochdale, St Giles-in-the-Fields, 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 No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St Anne Soho | London (Central Districts) |
| 2 | Rochdale | Lancashire |
| 3 | St Giles-in-the-Fields | London (Central Districts) |
| 4 | Lambeth | London (South Districts) |
| 5 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Milter surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Milter, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Milter surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Milter household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Milter is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Milter is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Milter, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Milter is of English origin, first appearing in historical records during the late medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Middle English word "milter," which referred to a person who worked at a mill or milled grain for a living.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from the year 1195, where a certain William le Milter is mentioned. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 12th century, primarily in the counties of Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.
In the 13th century, variants of the name such as "Multer" and "Mylter" appeared in various documents, including the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk from 1273, which lists a John le Multer among the residents of the county.
The Milter surname is closely tied to the occupational history of England, particularly in rural areas where mills were essential for grinding grains and other agricultural products. Many early bearers of the name likely worked directly in these mills or were involved in related trades.
One notable historical figure bearing the Milter surname was Sir John Milter, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Nottinghamshire during the 14th century. He is mentioned in the Lincolnshire Feet of Fines from 1346 as having acquired a significant parcel of land in the village of Brant Broughton.
In the 15th century, the Milter name appeared in the Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379, where a Thomas Milter is recorded as a taxpayer in the village of Appleton. This suggests that the name had spread beyond its initial core areas and was becoming more widespread throughout northern England.
Another individual of note was William Milter, a merchant and alderman who lived in the city of York during the early 16th century. He is mentioned in the York Civic Records of 1510 as having played an active role in the city's governance and trade affairs.
As the centuries progressed, the Milter surname continued to be found across various parts of England, with documented instances in parish records, wills, and other historical documents from counties such as Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, and Derbyshire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milter surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Cumberland leads with 1 Milters recorded in 1881 and an index of 23.92x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Cumberland | 1 | 23.92x |
| Devon | 1 | 9.91x |
| Hertfordshire | 1 | 29.94x |
| Middlesex | 1 | 2.06x |
| Renfrewshire | 1 | 26.60x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Egremont in Cumberland leads with 1 Milters recorded in 1881 and an index of 1000.00x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Egremont | 1 | 1000.00x |
| Exeter St Sidwell | 1 | 434.78x |
| Hackney London | 1 | 36.76x |
| Neilston | 1 | 526.32x |
| Ware | 1 | 1000.00x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Milter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Milter surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
| Name | Count |
|---|---|
| Thomas | 1 |
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 Milter households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Cook (Domestic Servant) | 1 |
| No Occupation | 1 |
| Painter | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 5 people were recorded with the Milter surname. That placed it at #33,110 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 1 in 2016. That gives Milter a modern rank of #39,061.
A possible occupational name for someone engaged in milling or grinding grains or cereals.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Milter bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.