2000
#10,357
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,849
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.06
Rare Last name
Millner
An occupational surname for a miller or one who operates or works in a grain mill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,118 Americans carry the last name Millner. That puts it at #11,136 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.91 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 109,928 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Millner 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 Millner with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.1K
1 in 109,928
Census rank
#11,136
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,719 bearers of the surname Millner in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.91 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 11136th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Millner, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.4%. The next largest groups are Black (34.6%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Millner
The surname Millner is of English origin, deriving from the Old English word 'mylnere,' meaning miller or one who operates a mill. This occupation-based surname arose in the medieval period, indicating that the first bearers of this name were likely millers or associated with the milling trade.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 list a William le Milnere in Norfolk, while the Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 mention a John le Mulnere. These early spellings, such as 'le Milnere' and 'le Mulnere,' reflect the Old English and Norman French influences on the surname's evolution.
In the 14th century, the Millner surname appeared in various historical records across England. The Poll Tax Returns of Yorkshire from 1379 included a Willelmus Milner, while the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex from 1381 listed a Thomas Mylner. The name's spelling variations continued, reflecting regional dialects and scribal interpretations.
During the Tudor period, the Millner surname gained prominence. One notable bearer was John Millner (c. 1510-1584), an English Protestant reformer and Bishop of Carlisle. Another significant figure was Ralph Millner (c. 1540-1600), a wealthy merchant and landowner in Cheshire.
In the 17th century, the Millner surname spread across England, with several individuals leaving their mark on history. Thomas Millner (1608-1663) was an English lawyer and judge, serving as Chief Baron of the Exchequer in Ireland. Meanwhile, William Millner (1630-1691) was a prominent Presbyterian minister in Ulster, Ireland.
The 18th century saw the Millner surname continue to thrive, with several notable bearers emerging. One was William Millner (1724-1804), an English clergyman and author who wrote on theological and philosophical subjects. Another was John Millner (1742-1820), a British naval officer who served in the American Revolutionary War and the Napoleonic Wars.
As the name spread across the English-speaking world, it also underwent various spelling variations, including Milner, Mylner, and Millnor. While the Millner spelling remains relatively uncommon, it has been documented in historical records across several centuries, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Millner
Among Census respondents with the surname Millner, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.4%. The next largest groups are Black (34.6%) and Two or More Races (5.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Millner 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 Millner surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White55.4% · 1,507
- Black or African American34.6% · 940
- Two or more races5.2% · 142
- Hispanic or Latino4.2% · 113
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 14
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Millner
Millner 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
#10,912
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,917
+68 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 555 places
2020
#11,136
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,719
-198 bearers (-6.8%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Down 224 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,357 | 2,849 | 1.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,912 | 2,917 | 0.99 | +68 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 555 places |
| 2020 | #11,136 | 2,719 | 0.91 | -198 bearers (-6.8%) | Down 224 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 Millner 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 | #10,912 | #11,136 | -2.1% |
| Count | 2,917 | 2,719 | -6.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.99 | 0.91 | -8.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Millner bearers went from 2,917 to 2,719 (-6.8% change). The surname moved down 224 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,912 to #11,136.
FAQ
Millner surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Millner?
Name Census estimates that about 3,118 living Americans carry the surname Millner. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 109,928 residents.
How common is Millner?
Millner ranks #11,136 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.91 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 2,719 people with the surname Millner. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,118), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.91 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.91 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 Millner.
Has Millner become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Millner went from 2,917 recorded bearers to 2,719. That is a decrease of 198 (-6.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,912 to #11,136.
What does the Census say about the background of Millner?
Among Census respondents with the surname Millner, the largest self-reported group is White at 55.4%. The next largest groups are Black (34.6%) and Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Millner in the 2020 Census, accounting for 55.4% (1,507 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Millner appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (55.4%), Black (34.6%), Two or More Races (5.2%). 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 Millner (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 Millner mean?
An occupational surname for a miller or one who operates or works in a grain mill. 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 Millner (0.91 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 are called Millner?
Want to know how many people have the surname Millner? HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, puts the living-bearer count front and centre.