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

Milstead, 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 Milstead surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Milstead in America

Milstead is the 10334th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Milstead surname appeared 3,117 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 Milstead.

We can also compare 2010 data for Milstead 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 Milstead

The surname Milstead is of English origin, and it can be traced back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated in the county of Yorkshire, where it was derived from a place name referring to a mill stream or a mill on a stream.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Milstead can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of land ownership and taxation in England compiled in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror. This suggests that the name was already established in the region by the late 11th century.

During the Middle Ages, the name Milstead was often spelled in various ways, reflecting the lack of standardized spelling conventions at the time. Some of the early variations included Milstede, Milsteed, and Mylstede, all of which were derived from the Old English words "myln" (mill) and "stede" (place or site).

In the 13th century, a man named Robert de Milstede was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire, which were records of financial accounts kept by the English Exchequer. This provides evidence of the surname's continued presence in the area during that period.

One notable bearer of the name Milstead was John Milstead (c. 1520-1587), an English Protestant reformer and theologian who served as a minister during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. He was known for his strong opposition to Roman Catholicism and his advocacy of Puritan beliefs.

Another prominent figure with this surname was Sir William Milstead (1621-1680), an English politician and landowner who served as a Member of Parliament for the borough of Nottingham during the Commonwealth period under Oliver Cromwell's rule.

In the 18th century, a man named Thomas Milstead (1719-1799) was a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Kent. He was also known for his philanthropic efforts, having donated funds for the construction of a school and almshouses in the town of Sittingbourne.

During the 19th century, the Milstead surname was borne by several notable individuals, including Samuel Milstead (1800-1876), a British architect who was involved in the design of several churches and public buildings in London and other parts of England.

Another figure from this era was Elizabeth Milstead (1836-1912), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in the city of Manchester and was actively involved in campaigns for women's suffrage and educational reform.

These examples illustrate the long-standing presence of the Milstead surname in various regions of England, as well as its connections to individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Milstead

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

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

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

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