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

Mill, 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 Mill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mill in America

Mill is the 9255th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mill surname appeared 3,518 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Mill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mill 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 Mill

The surname MILL is of English origin and dates back to the medieval period. It is an occupational name derived from the Old English word "myln," which referred to a mill or a grinding house. The name was likely first adopted by individuals who worked in or lived near mills, which were essential structures in medieval settlements for grinding grain and other materials.

During the Middle Ages, the surname MILL began to appear in various historical records and documents. One of the earliest known references is found in the Domesday Book of 1086, where several individuals with the surname MILL or its variants, such as Milne or Milner, were listed as landowners or tenants in various counties of England.

In the 13th century, records show a Robert de la Mille residing in Oxfordshire, England, in 1273. Similarly, the name John atte Mulle was documented in Sussex in 1296. These early spellings reflect the evolving nature of surnames during that time period and the influence of regional dialects on their pronunciation and written form.

Notable individuals with the surname MILL throughout history include:

1. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), a renowned British philosopher, political economist, and influential thinker of the 19th century.
2. Walter de la Mill (c. 1138-1194), an English prelate who served as Bishop of Worcester and Archbishop of Vienne in France.
3. Humphrey Mill (1647-1708), an English writer and playwright known for his tragedies and comedies during the Restoration period.
4. James Mill (1773-1836), a Scottish historian, economist, and philosophical writer, and the father of John Stuart Mill.
5. Andrew Mill (1775-1853), a Scottish historian and professor of divinity at the University of Edinburgh.

The surname MILL has also been associated with various place names derived from mills or mill-related locations. Examples include Mill Hill in London, Millbrook in Hampshire, and Milltown in numerous counties across England and Wales.

Over the centuries, the MILL surname has spread across the English-speaking world, carried by migrants and descendants of those who originally bore the name. While its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in England, the surname MILL has become a part of the diverse tapestry of family names found in many countries today.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mill

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

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 Mill 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 Mill 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 Mill was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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