Milner first name popularity, history and meaning

Find out how popular the first name Milner has been for the last 1 years (from 2019 to 2019) and learn more about the meaning and history.

Meaning of Milner

An English occupational name referring to someone who worked at a mill.

Popularity of Milner by gender

Based on the last 1 years of data, Milner is exclusively a male name.

For the most recent data in 2019, there were 5 male babies and 0 female babies born with the name Milner.

Year Male Count Female Count
2019 5 0

The history of the first name Milner

The name Milner is an English given name derived from the Old English word "mylenweard," which means "mill keeper" or "miller." It originated in the medieval period when many people took on occupational surnames based on their trade or profession.

The earliest recorded use of Milner as a given name dates back to the 13th century in England. It was often used as a surname for those who worked at or owned mills, particularly flour mills and grain mills, which were crucial for producing food in medieval times.

One of the earliest known individuals with the name Milner was John Milner, a 13th-century English landowner and mill owner from Yorkshire. He is mentioned in historical records from the reign of King Edward I (1272-1307).

Another notable figure was Thomas Milner (c. 1550-1592), an English Roman Catholic priest and martyr who was executed during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I for his religious beliefs and allegiance to the Catholic Church.

In the 17th century, Sir Samuel Milner (1624-1669) was an English politician and member of Parliament who served as Lord Mayor of London in 1667.

During the 18th century, Isaac Milner (1750-1820) was an English mathematician, scientist, and academic who served as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1798 to 1820.

In the 19th century, John Milner (1752-1826) was an English Catholic bishop and renowned theologian who played a significant role in the Catholic Emancipation movement in England, advocating for greater rights and freedoms for Catholics.

While Milner was originally an occupational surname, it transitioned into a given name over time, particularly in English-speaking countries. The name has also been adopted in other cultures and languages, though its origins can be traced back to the Old English language and the historic occupation of mill workers and owners.

Data source

The first name data used on this page comes from the Social Security Administration (SSA). They've been collecting data on baby names since 1880.

The history and meaning of the name Milner was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Milner, please contact us.

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"Milner first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on July 16, 2025. http://namecensus.com/first-names/milner-meaning-and-history/.

"Milner first name popularity, history and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/first-names/milner-meaning-and-history/. Accessed 16 July, 2025

Milner first name popularity, history and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/first-names/milner-meaning-and-history/.

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