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

Milner, 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 Milner surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Milner in America

Milner is the 2955th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Milner surname appeared 12,153 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname Milner.

We can also compare 2010 data for Milner 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 Milner

The surname Milner has its origins in England, originating in the late 11th century. It is derived from the Old English word "mylnere," which means miller or someone who operates a mill. This occupation-based surname was commonly adopted by individuals who worked in mills that ground grain into flour.

The name Milner can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their holdings commissioned by William the Conqueror. In this record, several individuals with variations of the name, such as Milner and Mylner, are mentioned in various regions of England.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Milner dates back to 1273 when a man named William Milner was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls of Oxfordshire. Another notable early example is John Milner, who was born around 1320 in Cheshire and served as a member of the English Parliament.

During the 14th and 15th centuries, the surname Milner was particularly prevalent in Yorkshire, where many mills were located along the region's numerous rivers and streams. The name was often associated with specific place names, such as Milner's Green in Staffordshire and Milner's Park in Northamptonshire.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname Milner. One of the most prominent was John Milner (1752-1826), an English Catholic bishop and theologian who played a significant role in the Catholic revival in England. Another notable figure was Alfred Milner (1854-1925), a British statesman and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Cape Colony and High Commissioner for Southern Africa during the Second Boer War.

Other notable Milners include Henry Milner (1835-1904), a British chemist and academic who made significant contributions to the field of analytical chemistry; Thomas Milner (1799-1860), an English botanist and mycologist known for his research on fungi; and Charles Milner (1857-1923), a British architect who designed several notable buildings in London, including the Royal Academy of Music.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Milner

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

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

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

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