Find out how popular the last name Milam is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Milam.

Milam, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Milam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Milam in America

Milam is the 3038th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Milam surname appeared 11,787 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Milam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Milam to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Milam

The surname Milam is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest records dating back to the 11th century. It is derived from the Old English words "myl" or "mil," which refer to a mill or a mill-stream, and "ham," meaning a homestead or village. Consequently, the name likely referred to someone who lived near a mill or a hamlet centered around a mill.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Milam can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Mileham" in reference to a settlement in Norfolk. This suggests that the name had already become established as a place name and potentially a surname by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the Milam family was primarily concentrated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk in East Anglia. Historical records from this period include references to individuals such as Robert de Mileham, who was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk in 1166.

By the 13th century, the name had evolved into various spellings, including Milham, Millam, and Milam. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Milham, a prominent landowner and knight who lived in Norfolk in the late 13th century.

In the 16th century, the Milam family spread to other parts of England, with some members establishing themselves in the county of Yorkshire. One influential figure from this period was Robert Milam, who served as the Lord Mayor of York in 1587.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals with the surname Milam. These include Benjamin C. Milam (1788-1835), a celebrated soldier and leader in the Texas Revolution, and John Milam (1752-1838), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Kentucky.

Additionally, the name has been associated with various place names, such as Milam County in Texas, which was named after Benjamin C. Milam, and the town of Milam in West Virginia, named after Samuel Milam, an early settler in the area.

While the surname Milam is relatively uncommon today, it continues to hold a rich historical legacy, tracing its roots back to the medieval period in England and reflecting the influence of various bearers of the name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Milam

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Milam.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Milam was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Milam has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

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

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

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