Mills History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Mills

What does the name Mills mean?

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

Alfred Mills (1776-1833), the English draughtsman was a skilful designer of illustrations to small books of juvenile instruction, such as 'Pictures of Roman History in Miniature,' 1809, 'Pictures of E...
Charles Mills (1788-1826), the English historical writer, born on 29 July 1788 at Croom's Hill, Greenwich, was youngest son of Samuel Gillam Mills, surgeon. He was educated privately, and, after a bri...
John Mills (d. 1736), the English actor is said by Downes in his 'Roscius Anglicanus' to 'excel in Tragedy,' appears to have joined the company at Drury Lane and Dorset Garden after the secession in 1...

Mills World Ranking

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

John Mills, who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 13
Mrs. Susan Mills of Suffolk who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 13
Miss Joy Mills who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 14
Miss Mary Mills who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 14
Mr. John Mills who arrived in Salem, Massachusetts in 1630 aboard the ship "Ambrose" as part of the Winthrop Fleet 14
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mills Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Sarah Mills, who arrived in Virginia in 1701 13
Eliza Mills, who landed in Virginia in 1701 13
Anne Mills, who arrived in Virginia in 1714 13
David Mills, who landed in Maryland in 1716 13
Janus Mills, who landed in Virginia in 1741 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mills Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Allen Mills, who landed in America in 1800 13
Frances Mills, aged 28, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1803 13
John Augustus Mills, who landed in New York in 1807 13
George Mills, who arrived in New York, NY in 1812 13
Andrew Mills, who landed in America in 1819 13
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mills Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

Miss Vera Mills, (b. 1900), aged 3, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Globe, Arizona, USA 15
Miss Amy Mills, (b. 1892), aged 11, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Globe, Arizona, USA 15
Mrs. Eliza Mills, (b. 1868), aged 35, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Globe, Arizona, USA 15
Miss Mary Mills, (b. 1894), aged 9, Cornish settler travelling aboard the ship "Campania" arriving at Ellis Island, New York on 10th October 1903 en route to Globe, Arizona, USA 15
Gibson Mills, who arrived in Arkansas in 1906 13

Mills migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mills Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century

Thomas Mills, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1749
Thomas Mills, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Ann Mills, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
Cathr Mills, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
John Mills, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1750
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mills Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

Charles Mills, aged 20, a farmer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1833
Mary Mills, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Leslie Gault" in 1833
Lillie Mills, aged 22, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Thomas Hanford" from Cork, Ireland
James Mills, aged 16, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Thomas Hanford" from Cork, Ireland
Joseph Mills, aged 40, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1833 aboard the brig "Silestria" from Belfast, Ireland
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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

Mr. Thomas Mills, Cornish settler convicted in Cornwall, UK on 2nd August 1790, sentenced for 7 years for burglary in the house of Reverend Ratcliffe, transported Atlantic" on 27th March 1791 to New South Wales, Australia 16
Mr. John Mills, English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Barwell" in September 1797, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 17

Mills Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. John Mills, (Pollard), (b. 1791), aged 12, British convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Calcutta" in February 1803, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 18
Mr. James Mills, English convict who was convicted in Portsmouth, Hampshire, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Fame" on 9th October 1816, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 19
Mr. John Mills, English convict who was convicted in Berkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 20
Mr. Thomas Mills, (b. 1780), aged 38, English convict who was convicted in Berkshire, England for life, transported aboard the "Baring" in December 1818, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, he died in 1842 20
Mr. John Mills, English convict who was convicted in Surrey, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Eliza" on 22nd September 1819, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 21
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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

Charles Mills, aged 38, a carpenter, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
Elizabeth Sophia Mills, aged 40, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
Edward Mills, aged 12, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
Henry Mills, aged 10, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
Alfred Mills, aged 6, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Birman" in 1842
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

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

Mr. Robert Mills, aged 19, British settler travelling from Gravesend, UK aboard the ship "Hopewell" arriving in Barbados on 17th February 1634 13

Contemporary Notables of the name Mills (post 1700) +

James "Jim" Mills (1966-2024), American bluegrass banjo player who played in the three-finger style popularized by Earl Scruggs, known for his work with Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder for 14 years
Richard Henry Mills (1929-2023), American jurist, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Central District of Illinois
Samuel Davis "Sam" Mills Jr. (1959-2005), American football linebacker who played twelve seasons in the National Football League (NFL) for the New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers, inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2022
Charles Wade Mills (1951-2021), English-born, American philosopher, Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at Graduate Center, CUNY, and John Evans Professor of Moral and Intellectual Philosophy at Northwestern University
Morton J. "Chuck" Mills (1928-2021), American head college football coach for Pomona College (1957–1961), Indiana University of Pennsylvania (1962–1963), the United States Merchant Marine Academy (1964), Utah State University (1967–1972), Wake Forest University (1973–1977), Southern Oregon University (1980–1988), and the United States Coast Guard Academy (1997)
Dorothy Seymour Mills (1928-2019), American baseball author, historian and researcher from Cleveland, Ohio
Richard Paul Mills (1944-2017), American educator, 12th Commissioner of Education of the State of New York (1995-2009)
Sherron Mills (1971-2016), American NBA basketball player
Corporal James Henry Mills (1923-1973), American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
Charles Wright Mills (1916-1962), American sociologist
... (Another 209 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Mills family +

HMS Hood

Mr. Ronald W Mills (b. 1919), English Stoker 1st Class serving for the Royal Navy from Godshill, Isle of Wight, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
Mr. Raymond E Mills (b. 1917), English Stoker 2nd Class serving for the Royal Navy from Swindon, Wiltshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
Mr. Montague D Mills (b. 1920), English Marine serving for the Royal Marine from Eling, Hampshire, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
Mr. Harry J Mills (b. 1923), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Mytchett, Farnham, Surrey, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23
Mr. Campbell R F Mills (b. 1921), English Ordinary Seaman serving for the Royal Navy from Croydon, Surrey, England, who sailed into battle and died in the HMS Hood sinking 23

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Henry Mills, British Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking, died whilst a Prisoner of War in 1943 24
Mr. H Mills, British Petty Officer, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24
Mr. E Mills, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24
Mr. Mills, British Stoker 2nd Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 24
Mr. Mills, British Stoker 1st Class, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 24

HMS Repulse

Mr. Alfred Mills, British Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 25
Mr. George Mills, British Ordinary Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 25
Mr. George Mills, British Boy Telegraphist, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and survived the sinking 25
Mr. William James Mills, British Leading Stoker, who sailed into battle on the HMS Repulse (1941) and died in the sinking 25

Lady of the Lake

Miss Eliza Mills (b. 1814), Irish traveller from Fintonia, Ireland who sailed aboard the "Lady of the Lake" from Greenock, Scotland on 8th April 1833 to Quebec, Canada when the ship hit ice and sunk of the coast of Newfoundland on the 11th May 1833 and she died in the sinking

RMS Lusitania

Mr. John Mills, English First Waiter from Birkenhead, Cheshire, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 26
Mr. Charles Veitch Mills, American 1st Class Passenger from New Rochelle, New York, USA, who sailed aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 27

RMS Titanic

Mr. Christopher Mills, aged 51, English Butcher from Southampton, Hampshire who worked aboard the RMS Titanic and survived the sinking by escaping in collapsible C 28

SS Atlantic

Edward Mills, Irish traveler aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking

SS Caribou

Mr. Henry Herbert Mills (b. 1898), British passenger who was Royal Army was travelling aboard the railway ferry "SS Caribou" when it was struck by a German submarine torpedo on 14th October 1942, the most significant sinking in Canadian waters at that time, he died in the sinking

SS Newfoundland

Mr. Azariah Mills (b. 1864), Newfoundlander from New Perlican, who on the 30th March 1914 he was part of the Seal Crew of the "SS Newfoundland" leaving the ship to intercept the Stephano which took him to the hunting grounds, he disembarked to begin sealing, but was caught in a thickening storm, attempting to return to the Newfoundland he and the 132 crew made camp for two days the sealers were stranded on the ice in a blizzard attempting to return to the ship, he survived

USS Indianapolis

William Harry Mills, American crew member on board the ship "USS Indianapolis" when she was on a top secret trip for the first nuclear weapon, she was sunk by Japanese Navy on 30th July 1945, he was one of the many who were killed in the sinking due to exposure, dehydration, saltwater poisoning and shark attacks 29

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.

Citations +

Smith, Eldson Coles, New Dictionary of American Family Names New York: Harper & Row, 1956. Print
Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
Guppy, Henry Brougham, Homes of Family Names in Great Britain. 1890. 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)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Surnames Meanings, Origins & Distribution Maps - Forebears." Forebears, https://forebears.io/surnames
The order of Common Surnames in 1955 in Newfoundland retrieved on 20th October 2021 (retrieved from Family Names of the Island of Newfoundland by E.R. Seary corrected edition ISBN 0-7735-1782-0)
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"Most Common Last Names in New Zealand." Forebears, https://forebears.io/new-zealand/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
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)
Pilgrim Ship's of 1600's. Retrieved January 6th 2023 from https://www.packrat-pro.com/ships/shiplist.htm
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 3rd May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_ellis_island_1892_on.pdf
Cornwall Online Parish Clerks. (Retrieved 30th May 2018). Retrieved from http://www.opc-cornwall.org/Resc/pdfs/emigration_australia_convicts.pdf
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 29th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/barwell
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 25th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/calcutta
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th September 2022). https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/fairlie
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 16th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/baring
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 10th February 2022). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/eliza
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_West_Indies
H.M.S. Hood Association-Battle Cruiser Hood: Crew Information - H.M.S. Hood Rolls of Honour, Men Lost in the Sinking of H.M.S. Hood, 24th May 1941. (Retrieved 2016, July 15) . Retrieved from http://www.hmshood.com/crew/memorial/roh_24may41.htm
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
HMS Repulse Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listrepulsecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 6) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/
Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html
Final Crew List, retrieved 2021, October 30th Retrieved from https://www.ussindianapolis.com/final-crew