2000
#12,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,168
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.80
Rare Last name
Milian
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin "Aemilianus," meaning "belonging to the Aemilius family" or "rival."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 4,208 Americans carry the last name Milian. That puts it at #8,596 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.23 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 81,453 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Milian 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.
Bearers in the US
4.2K
1 in 81,453
Census rank
#8,596
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,670 bearers of the surname Milian in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.23 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 8596th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Milian, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (9.3%) and Black (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Milian
The surname Milian has its roots in the Mediterranean region, particularly Spain and Italy. It is believed to have originated from the Roman name "Aemilius" or "Aemilius Mamilian," which was derived from the Latin word "aemulus," meaning "rival" or "competitor."
In Spain, the name Milian can be traced back to the 9th century, during the Reconquista period. It was particularly prevalent in the regions of Catalonia and Valencia, where it was often associated with noble families and landowners.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Milian can be found in the Catalonian Chronicles, which mention a nobleman named Bernat Milian who fought alongside the Count of Barcelona in the late 11th century.
During the 12th and 13th centuries, the name Milian appeared in various historical documents in Italy, particularly in the regions of Tuscany and Lombardy. It was often associated with merchants and wealthy families involved in trade and commerce.
One notable bearer of the Milian surname was Vincenzo Milian, a renowned Italian painter who lived from 1548 to 1618. His works, which include frescoes and altarpieces, can still be found in churches and museums throughout Italy.
In the 14th century, the name Milian was also recorded in the Domesday Book, a historical record of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086. This suggests that individuals with this surname may have migrated to England during that time.
Another significant figure bearing the Milian surname was Juan Milian, a Spanish military commander who played a crucial role in the Spanish conquest of the Canary Islands in the late 15th century.
In the 16th century, the name Milian gained prominence in France, particularly in the region of Provence. One notable individual was Pierre Milian, a French mathematician and astronomer who lived from 1516 to 1589.
Throughout the centuries, the Milian surname has undergone various spelling variations, including Milian, Millan, Millian, and Miliani, reflecting the influences of different regions and languages.
While the exact origins of the surname Milian are not entirely clear, its rich history and presence across multiple countries and cultures contribute to its enduring legacy and significance.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Milian
Among Census respondents with the surname Milian, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (9.3%) and Black (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Milian 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 Milian surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Hispanic or Latino87.7% · 3,219
- White9.3% · 341
- Black or African American2.3% · 84
- Two or more races0.4% · 13
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.3% · 10
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Milian
Milian 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
#6,539
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,181
+3,013 bearers (+139.0%)
Per 100,000 1.76
Rank movement Up 6,428 places
2020
#8,596
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,670
-1,511 bearers (-29.2%)
Per 100,000 1.23
Rank movement Down 2,057 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,967 | 2,168 | 0.80 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,539 | 5,181 | 1.76 | +3,013 bearers (+139.0%) | Up 6,428 places |
| 2020 | #8,596 | 3,670 | 1.23 | -1,511 bearers (-29.2%) | Down 2,057 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 Milian 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 | #6,539 | #8,596 | -31.5% |
| Count | 5,181 | 3,670 | -29.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.76 | 1.23 | -30.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Milian bearers went from 5,181 to 3,670 (-29.2% change). The surname moved down 2,057 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,539 to #8,596.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Milian
FAQ
Milian surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Milian?
Name Census estimates that about 4,208 living Americans carry the surname Milian. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 81,453 residents.
How common is Milian?
Milian ranks #8,596 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.23 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 3,670 people with the surname Milian. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (4,208), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.23 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.23 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 Milian.
Has Milian become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Milian went from 5,181 recorded bearers to 3,670. That is a decrease of 1,511 (-29.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #6,539 to #8,596.
What does the Census say about the background of Milian?
Among Census respondents with the surname Milian, the largest self-reported group is Hispanic at 87.7%. The next largest groups are White (9.3%) and Black (2.3%). 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?
Hispanic is the largest self-reported group for the surname Milian in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.7% (3,219 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Milian appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Hispanic (87.7%), White (9.3%), Black (2.3%). 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 Milian (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 Milian mean?
A Spanish surname derived from the Latin "Aemilianus," meaning "belonging to the Aemilius family" or "rival." 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 Milian (1.23 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 many people share the surname Milian?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.