MILLARD
Millard is a surname of English origin recorded across the British Isles. Its earliest forms are found in the county of Sussex in 1296, where a Meleward is mentioned in the chronicles, and in the city of London in 1300, under the name Milneward.
The name has two primary etymological routes. One route is derived from the Old English personal name Mildræd, meaning “gentle counsel.” This compound comes from milde, meaning “gentle” or “mild,” and ræd, meaning “counsel” or “advice.” The personal name evolved into a hereditary surname as the individual was noted for a wise and gentle disposition.
Another route is occupational, referring to a person who was in charge of a mill. From the Old English words mylen, meaning “mill,” and weard, meaning “guardian” or “keeper,” the medieval term millward denoted the miller, an important and respected figure in each settlement. As surnames became hereditary, the occupational name was passed down through each generation, with the variant Millard chiefly appearing in Gloucestershire. Other variations used historically include Milward, Millward, Millyard, Millwood, and Mellard.
Further documentary evidence records a Robert le Moleward in the Subsidy Tax rolls of Derbyshire in 1327 and a Robert le Milleward in the Hundred Rolls of Huntingdonshire in 1273. These attestations confirm the enduring presence of the surname since at least the late thirteenth and early fourteenth centuries, during the reign of Edward I, known as “The Hammer of the Scots.”
The heraldic tradition associated with the Millard name depicts a black field charged with two ermine chevronels; the crest is a stag browsing on a green mount, a design that reflects the dignity and respect commanded by the miller within medieval communities.
In contemporary times, the surname Millard remains common throughout England, particularly in the West Midlands and the South West, where the historical role of the mill laid the foundation for many families bearing the name. The persistence of the surname through centuries of social change attests to its strong linguistic and cultural roots within English society.
Typical given names associated with the Millard surname
Male
- Andrew
- Anthony
- Christopher
- David
- James
- John
- Michael
- Paul
- Peter
- Robert
- Stephen
Female
- Christine
- Elizabeth
- Helen
- Julie
- Karen
- Lisa
- Margaret
- Mary
- Patricia
- Rebecca
- Sarah
- Susan
Similar and related surnames
- Millward
- Milward
- Maillard
- Milar
- Mellard
- Mallard
- Mailliard
- Milard
- Millar
- Mailard
- Milhard
- Millare
- Millares
- Millars
- Millart
- Millear
- Milleard
- Millerd
- Millert
- Milliar
- Milliard
- Millnard
- Millord
- Millword
- Millyard
- Milyard
- Mollard
- Mouillard
- Mullard
- Malliard
- Melliard
- Milla
- Milladge
- Millardship
- Milleare
- Miller
- Millir
- Millor
- Milner
Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.
How to communicate the surname Millard in...
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Did you know?
According to a survey carried out by Democracy Club, politicians and candidates with the surname Millard are most likely to say that their favourite biscuit is a Hobnob.
There are approximately 9,425 people named Millard in the UK. That makes it the 988th most common surname in Britain. Around 145 in a million people in Britain are named Millard.
Surname type: Occupational name
Origin: English
Region of origin: British Isles
Country of origin: England
Religion of origin: Christian
Language of origin: English
Famous people named Millard
- Ross Millard - Musician
- Alan Millard - Academic
- Len Millard - Football player (1919 to 1997)
- Bert Millard - Football player
- Guy Millard - Diplomat (1917 to 2013)
- Harri Millard -
- William Millard - Cricketer (1856 to 1923)
- Christopher Sclater Millard - Bookseller and Bibliographer (1872 to 1927)
Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.