Milferd
A diminutive or pet form of names beginning with Mil-, from Germanic roots meaning "work" or "mighty".
Name Census estimates that about 14 living Americans carry the first name Milferd. The name is used almost exclusively for boys. The average person named Milferd today is around 83 years old, and the year with the single highest number of Milferd births was 1920 (9 babies).
This page is the full Name Census profile for Milferd. Below you will find a gender breakdown showing how the name splits between male and female registrations, a year-by-year popularity chart stretching back to 1880, decade-level totals, the top US states for this name, its meaning and etymology, and a set of frequently asked questions with data-backed answers.
Key insights
- • The typical person named Milferd is about 83 years old today, placing it firmly among the names of earlier generations. Most living Milferds were born before 1953.
- • Fewer than 100 living Americans are believed to carry the name Milferd. It is among the rarest names in the SSA records.
People living today
14
~ 1 in 24,482,453 Americans
Peak year
1920
9 babies that year
Average age
83
years old
1966 SSA rank
#4,333
Tracked since 1916
Popularity
Milferd: popularity over time
The SSA tracks Milferd from the 1910s through to the 1960s, spanning 5 decades of birth certificate data. The biggest single decade for the name was the 1920s, with 48 total registrations. Usage has dropped considerably from its 1920s peak. The most recent decade brought in only a fraction of the registrations that the name once attracted.
Babies born per year
Decades
Milferd by decade
The table below breaks the full SSA timeline into ten-year windows. Each row shows how many male and female babies were given the name Milferd during that decade, along with a combined total. This is useful for spotting eras where the name surged or retreated.
Origin
Meaning and history of Milferd
The name Milferd has its roots in the Old English language, originating around the 7th to 11th centuries. It is a compound name derived from the Old English words "mil" meaning "gentle" or "kind" and "ferd" meaning "traveler" or "journey." This combination suggests the name may have initially referred to a gentle or courteous traveler or someone with a pleasant demeanor while on a journey.
The earliest recorded instances of the name Milferd can be traced back to Anglo-Saxon England, where it was used as a masculine given name. In the 9th century, a monk named Milferd is mentioned in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, one of the earliest historical records of England.
During the Middle Ages, the name Milferd gained some prominence among the nobility and landed gentry of England. One notable figure was Milferd of Mercia, a nobleman who lived in the late 10th century and served as a trusted advisor to King Ethelred the Unready.
In the 12th century, a Benedictine monk named Milferd of Canterbury is recorded as being a respected scholar and scribe who contributed to the preservation of ancient manuscripts. His work helped to safeguard valuable historical and literary works during a period of upheaval in England.
Another historically significant individual was Sir Milferd de Montfort, a knight who fought alongside King Richard I during the Third Crusade in the late 12th century. He was known for his bravery and loyalty on the battlefield and was granted lands in Normandy for his service.
Moving into the 13th century, Milferd of Lincoln was a prominent churchman who served as the Bishop of Lincoln from 1235 to 1253. He played a crucial role in the construction of the iconic Lincoln Cathedral and was renowned for his piety and commitment to the Church.
While the name Milferd has fallen out of common usage in modern times, its historical origins and connection to the Old English language provide a glimpse into the rich cultural heritage of the British Isles. The name's association with gentleness, travel, and nobility has left an indelible mark on the annals of history.
People
Milferd + last name combinations
How many people share a full name with Milferd as the first name? Click a combination below to see the estimate, or search any pairing.
Related
Other names starting with M
Other first names starting with M with a similar number of bearers.
FAQ
Milferd: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. are named Milferd?
Name Census puts the figure at roughly 14 living Americans. We arrive at this by taking every SSA birth registration for Milferd going back to 1880 and adjusting each cohort for expected survival using CDC actuarial life tables. The result is an age-weighted living-bearer count, not a raw birth total. That works out to about 1 in 24,482,453 US residents.
Is Milferd a common name?
We classify Milferd as "Very Rare". It ranks above 34% of all first names in the SSA dataset by living bearers. Across the full history of the data, 104 babies have been registered with this name.
When was Milferd most popular?
The single biggest year for Milferd was 1920, when 9 babies received the name. The fact that the average living Milferd is about 83 years old gives you a rough sense of which era contributed the most bearers who are still alive today.
What does the SSA popularity chart show?
The chart tracks births, not the number of people alive with the name today. Each point shows how many babies were given the name Milferd in that year. That makes it useful for spotting when the name rose, peaked, or faded.
Is Milferd a male name?
Yes, 100.0% of people registered as Milferd in the SSA data are male. You can see the full per-sex comparison in the gender distribution section above, which includes the latest year rank, birth count, and peak year for each sex.
Is Milferd still being used today?
Yes. The SSA still recorded Milferd in 2024, and the page above shows its latest-year rank where available. A name can be well past its peak and still remain in steady use, especially if it built up a large population over earlier decades.
Why can a name have a lot of living bearers even if it is not trendy now?
Because living-bearer counts and current baby-name popularity measure different things. A name like Milferd can build up a very large population over many decades, even if fewer parents are choosing it now than they did at its peak.
Where does this data come from?
First-name figures come from the Social Security Administration's national baby name files, which cover every name on a birth certificate from 1880 to 2024. Living-bearer estimates layer in CDC actuarial life tables broken out by sex to account for mortality. The population baseline (342,754,338) is the Census Bureau's latest national estimate. You can read the full calculation on our methodology page.
Does every first name have Census demographic data?
No. The public Census first-name release only covers names that met the Bureau's publication rules, so many rarer names in the SSA files do not have a published Census demographic snapshot. In those cases, the page still shows the SSA trend, gender history, and state data.
How many people have Milferd as a first name?
If you just want to know how many people have the name Milferd, HowManyOfMe.org gives you the headline number in one glance.