2000
#12,037
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,380
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.88
Rare Last name
Milo
A surname of Slavic origin, derived from the element "mil," meaning "dear" or "beloved."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,814 Americans carry the last name Milo. That puts it at #12,124 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.82 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 121,803 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Milo 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 Milo with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.8K
1 in 121,803
Census rank
#12,124
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,454 bearers of the surname Milo in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.82 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12124th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Milo, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Hispanic (12.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Milo
The surname MILO is of Italian origin, with roots tracing back to the Middle Ages. The name is believed to have derived from the Latin word "miles," meaning soldier or knight. This suggests that the earliest bearers of this name may have been individuals involved in military service or knighthood.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the MILO surname can be found in the historical records of the city of Florence, Italy, dating back to the 13th century. The name appears in various documents, such as tax rolls and property deeds, indicating its presence in the region during that era.
In the 14th century, the MILO surname gained prominence in the region of Campania, particularly in the city of Naples. Historical records from this period reveal several notable individuals bearing the name, including Tommaso MILO, a prominent merchant and landowner born in 1342.
During the Renaissance period, the MILO surname was associated with several influential figures in the arts and literature. One such individual was Giovanni MILO, a renowned painter from the city of Siena, who lived between 1460 and 1535. His works can still be found in various churches and galleries across Italy.
In the 17th century, the MILO surname gained further recognition with the birth of Antonio MILO (1624-1691), a celebrated architect and military engineer from Naples. He is best known for his contributions to the fortifications of the city and his designs for several prestigious buildings.
Another notable individual with the MILO surname was Giulio MILO (1732-1808), a prominent lawyer and statesman from the city of Palermo, Sicily. He played a crucial role in the legal and political reforms of the region during the late 18th century.
The MILO surname has also been associated with notable individuals in more recent history, such as Giuseppe MILO (1839-1914), an Italian patriot and politician who fought for the unification of Italy and later served as a member of the Italian parliament.
Throughout its history, the MILO surname has been found in various regions of Italy, including Tuscany, Campania, Sicily, and beyond. While the name may have evolved slightly in spelling or pronunciation over the centuries, its roots can be traced back to the Middle Ages and the Latin word "miles," signifying a connection to military service or knighthood.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Milo
Among Census respondents with the surname Milo, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Hispanic (12.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Milo 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 Milo surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.4% · 1,483
- Black or African American13.0% · 318
- Hispanic or Latino12.8% · 315
- Asian and Pacific Islander9.9% · 242
- Two or more races3.5% · 86
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.4% · 10
Timeline
Historical Census data for Milo
Milo 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
#11,659
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,689
+309 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Up 378 places
2020
#12,124
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,454
-235 bearers (-8.7%)
Per 100,000 0.82
Rank movement Down 465 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #12,037 | 2,380 | 0.88 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,659 | 2,689 | 0.91 | +309 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 378 places |
| 2020 | #12,124 | 2,454 | 0.82 | -235 bearers (-8.7%) | Down 465 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 Milo 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 | #11,659 | #12,124 | -4.0% |
| Count | 2,689 | 2,454 | -8.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.91 | 0.82 | -9.8% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Milo bearers went from 2,689 to 2,454 (-8.7% change). The surname moved down 465 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,659 to #12,124.
FAQ
Milo surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Milo?
Name Census estimates that about 2,814 living Americans carry the surname Milo. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 121,803 residents.
How common is Milo?
Milo ranks #12,124 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.82 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 2,454 people with the surname Milo. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,814), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.82 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.82 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 Milo.
Has Milo become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Milo went from 2,689 recorded bearers to 2,454. That is a decrease of 235 (-8.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,659 to #12,124.
What does the Census say about the background of Milo?
Among Census respondents with the surname Milo, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.4%. The next largest groups are Black (13.0%) and Hispanic (12.8%). 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 Milo in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.4% (1,483 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Milo appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (60.4%), Black (13.0%), Hispanic (12.8%). 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 Milo (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 Milo mean?
A surname of Slavic origin, derived from the element "mil," meaning "dear" or "beloved." 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 Milo (0.82 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 Milo?
Our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers how many Americans have the surname Milo at a glance, with the living-bearer count up front.