Show ContentsMilhouse History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Milhouse is an ancient Norman name that arrived in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Milhouse family lived at or near a mill having derived from the Old English word mylen, which meant mill. 1 2

Early Origins of the Milhouse family

The surname Milhouse 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 Milhouse family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Milhouse 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 Milhouse History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Milhouse Spelling Variations

Norman surnames are characterized by a multitude of spelling variations. The frequent changes in surnames are largely due to the fact that the Old and Middle English languages lacked definite spelling rules. The introduction of Norman French to England, as well as the official court languages of Latin and French, also had pronounced influences on the spelling of surnames. Since medieval scribes and church officials recorded names as they sounded, rather than adhering to any specific spelling rules, it was common to find the same individual referred to with different spellings. The name has been spelled Mills, Mylles, Meiles and others.

Early Notables of the Milhouse family

Outstanding amongst the family at this time was John Myles, English politician, Member of Parliament for Coventry in 1593; John Mylles (c. 1604-1676), an English politician, Member of Parliament for Oxford University in 1659 and 1660; John Myles (Miles), (c. 1621-1683), Welsh-born cleric who upon the Restoration left Wales for the Plymouth colony in the 1660s, founder of Swansea, Massachusetts; and John Mill (c. 1645-1707), an English theologian from Shap in Westmorland, best known for his Greek New Testament.Alfred Mills (1776-1833), the English draughtsman was a skilful designer of illustrations to small books of juvenile instruction, such as 'Pictures of Roman...
Another 110 words (8 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Milhouse Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the Milhouse family to Ireland

Some of the Milhouse 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.


United States Milhouse migration to the United States +

Many English families emigrated to North American colonies in order to escape the political chaos in Britain at this time. Unfortunately, many English families made the trip to the New World under extremely harsh conditions. Overcrowding on the ships caused the majority of the immigrants to arrive diseased, famished, and destitute from the long journey across the stormy Atlantic. Despite these hardships, many of the families prospered and went on to make invaluable contributions to the development of the cultures of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the name Milhouse or a variant listed above:

Milhouse Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Arthur Milhouse, aged 22, who landed in America from Liverpool, England, in 1919
  • Arthur Milhouse, aged 21, originally from Liverpool, England, who arrived in New York City, New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Carmania" from Liverpool, England 7
  • Arthur Milhouse, aged 23, who arrived in New York in 1921 aboard the ship "Scythia" from Liverpool, England 7
  • Arthur Milhouse, aged 23, who immigrated to the United States, in 1921

Contemporary Notables of the name Milhouse (post 1700) +

  • Paul William Milhouse (1910-2005), American Bishop of the Evangelical United Brethren Church


The Milhouse 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.


  1. Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
  2. Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
  3. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  4. Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. Print.
  5. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  6. Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
  7. Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result


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