UK surname
A locational surname referring to someone who lived by a windmill or mill wood.
In the 1881 census there were 47 people recorded with the Milwood surname, ranking it #27,019 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 39, ranked #35,484, down from #27,019 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St Mildred, Old Castle Precincts, St Pancras and Hammersmith. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Milwood is 108 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 17.0%.
1881 census count
47
Ranked #27,019
Modern count
39
2016, ranked #35,484
Peak year
1861
108 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Milwood surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Milwood surname density by area, 1861 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 | 65 | #21,747 |
| 1861 | historical | 108 | #19,856 |
| 1881 | historical | 47 | #27,019 |
| 1891 | historical | 94 | #24,820 |
| 1901 | historical | 38 | #29,914 |
| 1911 | historical | 19 | #31,416 |
| 1997 | modern | 35 | #34,174 |
| 1998 | modern | 35 | #34,344 |
| 1999 | modern | 35 | #34,418 |
| 2000 | modern | 33 | #34,607 |
| 2001 | modern | 34 | #34,356 |
| 2002 | modern | 40 | #34,133 |
| 2003 | modern | 37 | #34,432 |
| 2004 | modern | 31 | #35,105 |
| 2005 | modern | 33 | #35,119 |
| 2006 | modern | 37 | #35,074 |
| 2007 | modern | 38 | #35,153 |
| 2008 | modern | 39 | #35,191 |
| 2009 | modern | 42 | #35,148 |
| 2010 | modern | 44 | #35,183 |
| 2011 | modern | 42 | #35,283 |
| 2012 | modern | 34 | #35,711 |
| 2013 | modern | 35 | #35,697 |
| 2014 | modern | 36 | #35,662 |
| 2015 | modern | 38 | #35,526 |
| 2016 | modern | 39 | #35,484 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St Mildred, Old Castle Precincts, St Pancras, Hammersmith, Ormsby 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 Mildred, Old Castle Precincts | Kent |
| 2 | St Pancras | London (North Districts) |
| 3 | Hammersmith | London (West Districts) |
| 4 | Ormsby | Yorkshire, North Riding |
| 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 Milwood 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 Milwood, 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 Milwood surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Milwood 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, Milwood 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 Milwood is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Milwood, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Milwood is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period, specifically in regions with large wooded areas or forests. It is a topographic surname, derived from the Old English words "mill" meaning a mill or a place where grain is ground, and "wudu" meaning a wood or forest.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were administrative records compiled during the reign of King Edward I. The entry mentions a person named "Richard de Millewude" residing in the county of Wiltshire.
Throughout the 14th and 15th centuries, variations of the name such as "Milwode," "Millewode," and "Mylwode" appeared in various historical documents, including tax rolls, court records, and parish registers across counties like Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, and Gloucestershire.
In the 16th century, a notable individual bearing the surname Milwood was John Milwood (c. 1520 - 1585), a prominent merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol. He played a significant role in the city's trade and civic affairs during his lifetime.
Another historical figure was Sir Thomas Milwood (1570 - 1632), a member of the English gentry who served as a member of parliament for the borough of Ludgershall in Wiltshire during the reign of King James I.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the surname Milwood. However, it does include several place names with similar elements, such as "Mildenhale" in Suffolk, which translates to "the dwellers at the mill in the clearing."
During the medieval and early modern periods, the surname Milwood was also found in various forms associated with specific locations, such as "Milwood of Calne" in Wiltshire and "Milwood of Northampton."
Other notable individuals with the surname Milwood include Sir Edward Milwood (1625 - 1698), a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Gloucestershire, and Mary Milwood (1670 - 1738), a renowned poet and writer from Oxfordshire.
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Milwood 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. Middlesex leads with 22 Milwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 4.80x.
| County | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Middlesex | 22 | 4.80x |
| Derbyshire | 12 | 16.72x |
| Warwickshire | 5 | 4.33x |
| Leicestershire | 2 | 3.94x |
| Surrey | 2 | 0.90x |
| Gloucestershire | 1 | 1.11x |
| Kent | 1 | 0.64x |
| Nottinghamshire | 1 | 1.62x |
| Staffordshire | 1 | 0.65x |
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Hammersmith London in Middlesex leads with 8 Milwoods recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.86x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Hammersmith London | 8 | 70.86x |
| St Marylebone London | 6 | 24.52x |
| Morton | 5 | 3571.43x |
| Mile End Old Town | 4 | 55.25x |
| North Wingfield | 4 | 1250.00x |
| Birmingham | 3 | 7.79x |
| Coventry St Michael | 2 | 53.91x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 5.00x |
| Litchurch | 2 | 69.20x |
| Swannington | 2 | 1052.63x |
| Acton | 1 | 37.17x |
| Bristol St Philip Jacob | 1 | 11.82x |
| Glossop Dale | 1 | 29.76x |
| Gravesend | 1 | 75.76x |
| Hallam | 1 | 2000.00x |
| Hampstead London | 1 | 14.01x |
| St Andrew Holborn | 1 | 64.52x |
| Stoke Upon Trent | 1 | 6.09x |
| Tottenham | 1 | 13.70x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Milwood 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 Milwood surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
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 Milwood households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 8 |
| Income From House Property | 3 |
| Coal Miner | 2 |
| Accountant | 1 |
| Architects Assistant | 1 |
| Auctioneers Articled Clerk | 1 |
| Boot Fitter | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Cabinet Maker | 1 |
| Chimney Sweeper | 1 |
| Coal Merchant | 1 |
| Collier | 1 |
| Colliery Labourer | 1 |
| Engine Fitter | 1 |
| General Servant | 1 |
| Genl Servant | 1 |
| Iron Moulder | 1 |
| Laborer For County Courts Det | 1 |
| Labourer (Coal) | 1 |
| Laundress | 1 |
| Piano Finisher | 1 |
| Police Constable | 1 |
| Servant | 1 |
| Silk Filler | 1 |
| Tube Dresser (021/12) | 1 |
| Wife | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 47 people were recorded with the Milwood surname. That placed it at #27,019 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 39 in 2016. That gives Milwood a modern rank of #35,484.
A locational surname referring to someone who lived by a windmill or mill wood.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Milwood 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.