Mills History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms 

Origins Available: 
  England 
  Scotland 
  Ireland 


The name Mills reached England in the great wave of migration following the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Mills family lived at or near a mill having derived from the Old English word mylen, which meant mill. 1 2

Early Origins of the Mills family

The surname Mills was first found in Hampshire. However, one branch of the family was found at Barford in Warwickshire since early times. " Under the chancel [in the church of Barford] is a vault for the family of Mills, to members of whom are five urns on pedestals in the chancel wall." 3

"This name is mostly confined to the southern half of England. Its chief homes are in Essex, Kent, Sussex, Hants, and Warwickshire. It is rare or infrequent in the south - west of England, where, in Cornwall and Devon, its place is to some extent supplied by Mill." 4

Some of the first records of the family include: Margery Mylys who was listed in the Hundredorum Rolls for Cambridgeshire in 1273; 5 and John Myls was listed in London in 1336. 6

Early History of the Mills family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mills research. Another 128 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1593, 1604, 1621, 1645, 1659, 1660, 1676, 1683, 1695, 1707, 1736, 1776, 1788, 1804, 1809, 1811, 1817, 1826, 1833 and 1890 are included under the topic Early Mills History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mills Spelling Variations

Before the advent of the printing press and the first dictionaries, the English language was not standardized. Sound was what guided spelling in the Middle Ages, so one person's name was often recorded under several variations during a single lifetime. Spelling variations were common, even among the names of the most literate people. Known variations of the Mills family name include Mills, Mylles, Meiles and others.

Early Notables of the Mills family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was

Mills World Ranking

In the United States, the name Mills is the 152nd most popular surname with an estimated 151,707 people with that name. 7 However, in Canada, the name Mills is ranked the 207th most popular surname with an estimated 18,607 people with that name. 8 And in Newfoundland, Canada, the name Mills is the 195th popular surname with an estimated 214 people with that name. 9 Australia ranks Mills as 95th with 26,459 people. 10 New Zealand ranks Mills as 104th with 3,954 people. 11 The United Kingdom ranks Mills as 87th with 53,161 people. 12

Migration of the Mills family to Ireland

Some of the Mills family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 57 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


Mills migration to the United States +

To escape the political and religious chaos of this era, thousands of English families began to migrate to the New World in search of land and freedom from religious and political persecution. The passage was expensive and the ships were dark, crowded, and unsafe; however, those who made the voyage safely were encountered opportunities that were not available to them in their homeland. Many of the families that reached the New World at this time went on to make important contributions to the emerging nations of the United States and Canada. Research into various historical records has revealed some of first members of the Mills family to immigrate North America:

Mills Settlers in United States in the 17th Century
Mills Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
Mills Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
Mills Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Mills migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mills Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
Mills Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Mills migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Mills Settlers in Australia in the 18th Century
Mills Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mills migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Mills Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

Mills migration to West Indies +

The British first settled the British West Indies around 1604. They made many attempts but failed in some to establish settlements on the Islands including Saint Lucia and Grenada. By 1627 they had managed to establish settlements on St. Kitts (St. Christopher) and Barbados, but by 1641 the Spanish had moved in and destroyed some of these including those at Providence Island. The British continued to expand the settlements including setting the First Federation in the British West Indies by 1674; some of the islands include Barbados, Bermuda, Cayman Island, Turks and Caicos, Jamaica and Belize then known as British Honduras. By the 1960's many of the islands became independent after the West Indies Federation which existed from 1958 to 1962 failed due to internal political conflicts. After this a number of Eastern Caribbean islands formed a free association. 22
Mills Settlers in West Indies in the 17th Century

Contemporary Notables of the name Mills (post 1700) +


The Mills Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Honor virtutis pretium
Motto Translation: Honour is the reward of virtue.


Suggested Readings for the name Mills +
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