2000
#9,425
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,164
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.17
Rare Last name
Milford
A locational surname referring to any of various places named Milford, meaning "mill by a ford."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,293 Americans carry the last name Milford. That puts it at #10,634 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 104,086 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Milford surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Milford with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 104,086
Census rank
#10,634
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.9K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,872 bearers of the surname Milford in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10634th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Milford, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.4%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Milford
The surname Milford is of English origin and dates back to the 11th century. It is a locational name, derived from the place name Milford, which means 'mill ford' or a ford by a mill. The name is found in various counties across England, including Derbyshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, and Staffordshire.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Milford can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as Mileforde. This document was commissioned by William the Conqueror and served as a comprehensive survey of land ownership and taxation in England.
During the Middle Ages, the Milford family was well-established in Derbyshire. Records from the 13th century show that Ralph de Milford held lands in the village of Milford near Belper. Another notable figure from this period was John de Milford, a prominent landowner who lived in the late 13th and early 14th centuries.
In the 16th century, the Milford surname gained recognition through the exploits of Sir Walter Milford (c. 1520-1599), an English naval commander and explorer. He played a significant role in the exploration and colonization efforts of the Americas, and his name appears in numerous historical accounts from that era.
Another prominent individual with the surname Milford was Sir Thomas Milford (1572-1644), an English politician and Member of Parliament. He served as the High Sheriff of Staffordshire and was actively involved in local government affairs.
During the 17th century, the Milford name gained further prominence with the birth of Samuel Milford (1636-1720), an English clergyman and academic. He served as the Master of Christ's College, Cambridge, and was known for his theological writings and sermons.
In the 18th century, one notable figure was Sir John Milford (1715-1783), a British naval officer who played a significant role in the American Revolutionary War. He commanded several ships and participated in various battles against the American forces.
The 19th century saw the rise of William Milford (1820-1892), a prominent English industrialist and entrepreneur. He founded the Milford Ironworks in Derbyshire, which became a major employer in the region and contributed significantly to the local economy.
These examples illustrate the rich history and significance of the Milford surname, which has been associated with notable individuals across various fields, including exploration, politics, academia, and industry.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Milford
Among Census respondents with the surname Milford, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.4%) and Hispanic (3.5%).
The bar chart below shows how Milford bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Milford surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White74.5% · 2,140
- Black or African American14.4% · 413
- Hispanic or Latino3.5% · 100
- Two or more races3.3% · 95
- American Indian and Alaska Native2.8% · 80
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.5% · 44
Timeline
Historical Census data for Milford
Milford appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#10,265
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,140
-24 bearers (-0.8%)
Per 100,000 1.06
Rank movement Down 840 places
2020
#10,634
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,872
-268 bearers (-8.5%)
Per 100,000 0.96
Rank movement Down 369 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,425 | 3,164 | 1.17 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,265 | 3,140 | 1.06 | -24 bearers (-0.8%) | Down 840 places |
| 2020 | #10,634 | 2,872 | 0.96 | -268 bearers (-8.5%) | Down 369 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Milford surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #10,265 | #10,634 | -3.6% |
| Count | 3,140 | 2,872 | -8.5% |
| Per 100K | 1.06 | 0.96 | -9.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Milford bearers went from 3,140 to 2,872 (-8.5% change). The surname moved down 369 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,265 to #10,634.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Milford
FAQ
Milford surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Milford?
Name Census estimates that about 3,293 living Americans carry the surname Milford. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 104,086 residents.
How common is Milford?
Milford ranks #10,634 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.96 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,872 people with the surname Milford. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,293), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.96 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.96 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Milford.
Has Milford become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Milford went from 3,140 recorded bearers to 2,872. That is a decrease of 268 (-8.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,265 to #10,634.
What does the Census say about the background of Milford?
Among Census respondents with the surname Milford, the largest self-reported group is White at 74.5%. The next largest groups are Black (14.4%) and Hispanic (3.5%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Milford in the 2020 Census, accounting for 74.5% (2,140 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Milford appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (74.5%), Black (14.4%), Hispanic (3.5%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Milford (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Milford mean?
A locational surname referring to any of various places named Milford, meaning "mill by a ford." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Milford (0.96 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Milford?
See how common the surname Milford is on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.