Milnor History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland

The many generations and branches of the Milnor family can all place the origins of their surname with the ancient Anglo-Saxon culture. Their name reveals that an early member worked as a person who was a milner or more commonly know as a miller. The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name myln which meant mill. 1

"The surname is most common in the north and eastern counties, where Scandinavian influence was strong." 2

Early Origins of the Milnor family

The surname Milnor was first found in the West Riding of Yorkshire at Appleton-Roebuck and Nun-Appleton, a township, in the parish of Bolton-Percy, W. division of Ainsty wapentake. "This place comprises by computation 2800 acres, chiefly the property of the Milner family, whose splendid mansion, Nun-Appleton Hall, stands in an extensive and finely wooded park, near the confluence of the rivers Ouse and Wharfe: the house was built by Thomas, Lord Fairfax, on the site of a Cistercian priory for nuns, founded by Alice de St. Quintin at the commencement of the thirteenth century." 3

The Hundredorum Rolls had only one listing for the family, Robert le Melner in Derbyshire. The Yorkshire Poll Tax Rolls of 1379 had two listings, the latter an occupational entry: Robertus Mylner; and Henricus Tele, milner. 4

The Subsidy Rolls for Worcestershire included John le Mulnare in 1275 and later, Robert le Milner was found in the Subsidy Rolls for Yorkshire in 1297. 2

In Scotland, entries were quite a bit later as "Andrew Mylnar leased part of the Grange of Abirbothry, 1454 and Paton Mylner, [was] tenant of Westhorn of Grange of Kerso, in 1478." 5

Early History of the Milnor family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Milnor research. Another 85 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1570, 1628, 1702, 1723, 1730, 1760, 1789, 1827, 1841, 1887 and 1897 are included under the topic Early Milnor History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Milnor Spelling Variations

Before the last few hundred years, the English language had no fast system of spelling rules. For that reason, spelling variations are commonly found in early Anglo-Saxon surnames. Over the years, many variations of the name Milnor were recorded, including Milner, Milnor and others.

Early Notables of the Milnor family

Distinguished members of the family include John Milner (1628-1702), an English clergyman, known as a nonjuring minister, scholar and opponent of John Locke. James Milner, 9th Seigneur of Sark (died 1730) bought the fief of Sark from John Johnson in 1723 for £5,000, and was Seigneur of Sark until 1730. Thomas Mulliner (c. 1545-1570), was the Oxford organist who compiled the commonplace Mulliner Book. Arthur Mulliner was the twentieth century name of a coachbuilding business founded in Northampton in 1760 which remained in family ownership. Henry Mulliner...
Another 86 words (6 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Milnor Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Milnor migration to the United States +

To escape oppression and starvation at that time, many English families left for the "open frontiers" of the New World with all its perceived opportunities. In droves people migrated to the many British colonies, those in North America in particular, paying high rates for passages in cramped, unsafe ships. Although many of the settlers did not make the long passage alive, those who did see the shores of North America perceived great opportunities before them. Many of the families that came from England went on to make essential contributions to the emerging nations of Canada and the United States. Research into various historical records revealed some of first members of the Milnor family emigrate to North America:

Milnor Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Daniel Milnor, who landed in Pennsylvania in 1682 6
Joseph Milnor, who arrived in Pennsylvania in 1682 6

Milnor Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

B M Milnor, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1850 6

Contemporary Notables of the name Milnor (post 1700) +

John Willard Milnor (b. 1931), American mathematician awarded the Fields Medal in 1962, the Wolf Prize in 1989, and the Abel Prize in 2011

Citations +

Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)