NameCensus.

UK surname

Myles

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "maol," meaning "bald" or "tonsured," likely referring to a monk.

In the 1881 census there were 1,396 people recorded with the Myles surname, ranking it #2,966 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 2,737, ranked #2,453, up from #2,966 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Forfar, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Laurieston and Westquarter, Swansea and Forfar Central.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Myles is 2,737 in 2016. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 96.1%.

1881 census count

1,396

Ranked #2,966

Modern count

2,737

2016, ranked #2,453

Peak year

2016

2,737 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Myles had 1,396 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #2,966 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 2,737 in 2016, ranked #2,453.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,917 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Myles surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Myles surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Myles 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 686 #3,793
1861 historical 839 #3,289
1881 historical 1,396 #2,966
1891 historical 1,656 #2,708
1901 historical 1,917 #2,751
1911 historical 726 #5,895
1997 modern 2,462 #2,549
1998 modern 2,600 #2,516
1999 modern 2,639 #2,505
2000 modern 2,600 #2,524
2001 modern 2,492 #2,570
2002 modern 2,557 #2,561
2003 modern 2,481 #2,583
2004 modern 2,540 #2,529
2005 modern 2,512 #2,529
2006 modern 2,535 #2,521
2007 modern 2,568 #2,504
2008 modern 2,576 #2,520
2009 modern 2,650 #2,512
2010 modern 2,734 #2,491
2011 modern 2,680 #2,507
2012 modern 2,640 #2,499
2013 modern 2,705 #2,491
2014 modern 2,705 #2,502
2015 modern 2,718 #2,476
2016 modern 2,737 #2,453

Geography

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Where Myles' are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Forfar, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Laurieston and Westquarter, Swansea, Forfar Central, Carse of Stirling and Logie and Blackness. 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 Forfar Forfar
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Laurieston and Westquarter Falkirk
2 Swansea 019 Swansea
3 Forfar Central Angus
4 Carse of Stirling Stirling
5 Logie and Blackness Dundee City

Forenames

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First names often paired with Myles

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Myles

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Myles surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Myles household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Myles is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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 located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Myles is most concentrated in decile 3 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy 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.

3
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Myles 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 Myles is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of Over 70 mbit/s.

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

10
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

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

Meaning and origin of Myles

The surname Myles is of English origin, derived from the old French personal name Miles, which itself came from the Latin name Milius or Aemilius. The name is believed to have been first introduced to England by the Norman conquest in the 11th century.

The earliest recorded instance of the name Myles dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Miles" and "Milez". The name was particularly prevalent in counties such as Gloucestershire, Somerset, and Wiltshire during the Middle Ages.

In the 13th century, the name Myles can be found in various records, including the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which mention individuals such as John Myles of Oxfordshire and Richard Myles of Berkshire. During this period, variations of the name like "Mylys" and "Mieles" were also in use.

One notable historical figure with the surname Myles was John Myles (c. 1590-1683), an English Baptist minister who played a significant role in the early history of the Baptist church in America. He served as the pastor of the Swansea Baptist Church in Massachusetts, one of the earliest Baptist congregations in the colonies.

Another individual of note was Sir Abraham Myles (1577-1629), an English merchant and politician who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1624. He was also a member of the Worshipful Company of Haberdashers and a prominent figure in the city's mercantile community.

In the literary world, Nathaniel Myles (1675-1745) was an English clergyman and author who published several works, including "The Philosophical Principles of Natural and Revealed Religion" and "The Life of Oliver Cromwell."

The surname Myles has also been associated with various places throughout England, such as Myles's Green in Gloucestershire and Myles's Croft in Somerset, both of which likely derived their names from individuals bearing the surname.

John Myles (1605-1683), an English Baptist minister and one of the founders of the Baptist church in America, is another notable figure with this surname. He established the first Baptist church in Massachusetts and played a crucial role in the early history of the Baptist denomination in the colonies.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Myles families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Myles 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. Angus leads with 359 Myles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 28.31x.

County Total Index
Angus 359 28.31x
Fife 184 22.71x
Midlothian 145 7.91x
Lancashire 138 0.85x
Lanarkshire 102 2.30x
Stirlingshire 90 17.83x
Perthshire 61 9.93x
Middlesex 46 0.34x
East Lothian 21 11.58x
Aberdeenshire 20 1.58x
Dorset 18 2.00x
Staffordshire 17 0.37x
Surrey 15 0.22x
Cheshire 14 0.46x
Durham 14 0.34x
Essex 14 0.52x
Kent 11 0.24x
Yorkshire 11 0.08x
Gloucestershire 9 0.34x
Banffshire 7 2.47x
Renfrewshire 7 0.66x
Sussex 7 0.30x
West Lothian 7 3.40x
Denbighshire 6 1.16x
Glamorgan 6 0.25x
Hampshire 6 0.21x
Northumberland 6 0.29x
Wiltshire 6 0.50x
Berkshire 5 0.49x
Roxburghshire 5 2.02x
Channel Islands 4 0.99x
Selkirkshire 4 3.23x
Shropshire 4 0.34x
Warwickshire 4 0.12x
Ayrshire 3 0.29x
Isle of Man 3 1.18x
Wigtownshire 3 1.65x
Worcestershire 3 0.17x
Derbyshire 2 0.09x
Lincolnshire 2 0.09x
Peeblesshire 2 3.11x
Royal Navy 2 1.23x
Somerset 2 0.09x
Argyllshire 1 0.26x
Berwickshire 1 0.60x
Cornwall 1 0.06x
Devon 1 0.04x
Dunbartonshire 1 0.27x
Kincardineshire 1 0.60x
Monmouthshire 1 0.10x
Norfolk 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. Dundee in Angus leads with 85 Myles' recorded in 1881 and an index of 17.96x.

Place Total Index
Dundee 85 17.96x
Edinburgh St Cuthberts 79 10.71x
Liff Benvie 74 38.45x
Forfar 45 65.54x
Govan 35 3.20x
Polmont 35 187.77x
Barton Upon Irwell 34 27.81x
Cupar 28 79.48x
Slamannan 25 90.45x
Coupar Angus 20 166.67x
St Andrews 17 46.12x
St Vigeans 17 24.84x
Barony 16 1.43x
Bothwell 16 13.33x
Kirriemuir 16 51.13x
Layton With Warbreck 16 26.85x
Maryhill 16 18.47x
Kilsyth 15 46.61x
Kirkcaldy 15 37.33x
Monifieth 15 33.49x
Scone 14 128.32x
Leuchars 13 126.83x
Penicuik 13 52.19x
Glamis 12 156.86x
Kingswinford 12 7.15x
Everton 11 2.13x
Leslie 11 53.63x
Liverpool 11 1.12x
Lytchett Matravers 11 339.51x
Montrose 11 14.32x
Pendleton In Salford 11 5.69x
Warrington 11 5.71x
West Ham 11 1.84x
Aberdeen Old Machar 10 3.78x
Barry 10 65.70x
Abernethy 9 112.08x
Cambusnethan 9 9.15x
Edinburgh Buccleuch 9 20.75x
Falkirk 9 7.62x
Farnell 9 309.28x
Islington London 9 0.68x
Largo 9 85.55x
Auchtermuchty 8 73.53x
Ceres 8 82.14x
Falkland 8 62.79x
Kilmany 8 269.36x
Monimail 8 201.51x
North Leith 8 9.43x
Spotland 8 4.43x
St Pancras London 8 0.73x
Stenton 8 286.74x
Bristol St James St Paul 7 7.82x
Durweston 7 397.73x
Edinburgh Lady Yesters 7 55.12x
Gamrie 7 22.09x
Haddington 7 26.16x
South Leith 7 3.39x
Bersham 6 27.21x
Carnwath 6 21.92x
Chittoe 6 638.30x
Dukinfield 6 4.30x
Inverkeillor 6 76.34x
Llandaff 6 7.57x
Longforgan 6 69.04x
Perth Middle Church 6 25.97x
Whitechapel London 6 4.45x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 5 2.11x
Arbroath 5 11.90x
Berwick North 5 39.37x
Dysart 5 9.16x
Gillingham 5 5.19x
Kilrenny 5 33.36x
Newcastle On Tyne St John 5 18.68x
Oathlaw 5 239.23x
Rastrick 5 13.27x
Salford 5 1.05x
Sunderland 5 6.95x
Tannadice 5 84.75x
Toxteth Park 5 0.91x
Wardleworth 5 5.39x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 27
Elizabeth 14
Margaret 11
Sarah 11
Ann 10
Alice 9
Jane 7
Annie 6
Emma 6
Martha 6
Elizth. 4
Ellen 4
Louisa 4
Agnes 3
Eliza 3
Fanny 3
Hannah 3
Isabella 3
Lucy 3
Bridget 2
Catherine 2
E. 2
Esther 2
Frances 2
Kate 2
Lavinia 2
Amy 1
Anne 1
Blanche 1
Caroline 1
Charlotte 1
Clara 1
Dorcas 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Elizth.A. 1
Emily 1
Florence 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Isabel 1
Johan 1
Judith 1
Kathleen 1
Liben 1
Lizzie 1
Lydia 1
Maggie 1
Matilda 1
Maud 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 24
John 19
William 19
Henry 12
Thomas 9
Edward 7
George 6
Joseph 6
Frederick 5
David 4
Robert 4
Samuel 4
Charles 3
Harry 3
Stephen 3
Walter 3
Albert 2
Andrew 2
Arthur 2
Edgar 2
Edwin 2
Fredrick 2
Lewis 2
Patrick 2
Percy 2
Peter 2
Richard 2
Robt. 2
Wilfred 2
Amos 1
Archibald 1
Cecil 1
Chas. 1
Claude 1
Clifford 1
Francis 1
Frank 1
Fred 1
Fredk.C. 1
Herbert 1
Isaac 1
Jacob 1
Mattw. 1
Morris 1
Oliver 1
Ralph 1
Rich. 1
Rowland 1
Sam 1
Wm.H. 1

FAQ

Myles surname: questions and answers

How common was the Myles surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,396 people were recorded with the Myles surname. That placed it at #2,966 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Myles surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 2,737 in 2016. That gives Myles a modern rank of #2,453.

What does the Myles surname mean?

A surname of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "maol," meaning "bald" or "tonsured," likely referring to a monk.

What does the Myles map show?

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