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

Milliken, 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 Milliken surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Milliken in America

Milliken is the 5892nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Milliken surname appeared 5,857 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Milliken.

We can also compare 2010 data for Milliken 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 Milliken

The surname Milliken is of Scottish origin, originating from the lands of Millheugh near Dalry in Ayrshire. The name is derived from the Gaelic words 'muileann' meaning mill and 'achadh' meaning field, thus referring to a mill field or a field with a mill.

The earliest recorded spelling of the name dates back to the 13th century, with references found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his invasion of Scotland. One such entry is that of Richardus de Muleken from Lanarkshire.

In the 16th century, the Milliken family were landowners in the parish of Kilwinning in Ayrshire. Records show that in 1572, Robert Milliken was the owner of the lands of Over Milliken in this area. The name also appears in various spellings such as Millikin, Millikin, and Mullikin during this time.

The Domesday Book of 1086, one of the earliest public records in England, does not contain any references to the surname Milliken, as it was primarily a Scottish name at the time.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname was Sir James Milliken, a Scottish knight who fought in the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 14th century. Another notable figure was Sir William Milliken, who served as the Lord Provost of Edinburgh in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the Milliken family had connections to the Scottish Covenanter movement, with several members being persecuted for their religious beliefs. Robert Milliken, born in 1642, was a prominent Covenanter who was imprisoned and later exiled to America for his involvement in the movement.

In the 18th century, the name spread to Ireland, particularly in Ulster, where many Scottish settlers had established themselves. One notable Milliken from this period was John Milliken (1720-1805), an Irish politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for County Armagh.

In the 19th century, the name became more widely dispersed, with Millikens emigrating to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. One notable figure was Richard Milliken (1767-1840), an American lawyer and politician who served as a U.S. Representative from Delaware.

Overall, the surname Milliken has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with connections to various notable individuals and events throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Milliken

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

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

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

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