Surname Milliken - Meaning and Origin

Journey Through My Genes: A Milliken's Tale of Personal Identity and Heritage with iGENEA DNA Test

Taking an iGENEA DNA test has allowed me an introspective journey into my ancestry, molding my understanding of personal identity and heritage. It opened doors to the unexplored corridors of my past, lighting the way to a deeper appreciation for my surname - Milliken.

Y. Milliken

Milliken: What does the surname Milliken mean?

The surname Milliken is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Maolagan". The term "Maol" translates to shaved head or tonsure, often signifying a follower of a saint, and "-an" is a diminutive suffix. Therefore, the name can be interpreted as a 'Little follower of a saint'. The name could have been originally given to a person in the church or someone who followed religious practices devoutly. It is mainly found in Scotland and the Ulster region in Ireland. It is equally plausible that the surname could have been derived from someone living near a mill since 'mill' and 'kin', signifying a relative, can combine to denote 'a relative who works at or lives near a mill'. It's worth noting that any specific meaning attributed to a surname can only be conjectural because the origination of surnames occurred so long ago. The exact interpretation can be lost over centuries, adapting, and evolving with language and societal changes.

Milliken: Where does the name Milliken come from?

The surname Milliken is of Scottish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic "Maolagan", which is a diminutive of "maol", meaning bald, and hence, the name means little bald one, acting as a nickname. This last name can be traced back to the early 11th century where it was first used in Wigtownshire, Southwest Scotland.

However, increasing emigration from Scotland over the years has seen the name scattered across the globe. Today, the surname Milliken can be found in greater concentrations in North America. Particularly in the United States, it is more common in regions that saw a higher stretch of Scottish and Irish settlers, like New England, Pennsylvania, and the Southern states. It’s also present in other English-speaking countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, but in less density.

It's important to note that, given the way surnames have evolved, there can be multiple origins for the same surname, it isn't necessarily that all people named Milliken originally had a Scottish ancestor who was bald. Different families might have acquired the same name independently.

Variations of the surname Milliken

The surname Milliken is derived from the ancient Scottish name "Mac Mhaolain," which is a combination of the Celtic prefix 'mac,' which means 'son of,' and 'maolain,' which refers to 'tonsured one, devotee.' It is usually associated with the ilk of Scotland and Ireland.

Variations of this surname largely resulted from misspelling due to pronunciation and transcription over years and decades. The name has been penned differently based on the phonetic transcriptions, adding or removing elements, or translating into different languages.

Different variations and spellings of the surname Milliken include Mullikin, Millikan, Millikin, Millican, Mollison, Mulligan, Mulliken, Milligan, and Millikens. There's also a possibility of surnames like Milligan, Mulligan or Millikin being variations. There might also be Gaelic translations of the name like MacMaolain.

These variants depend on cultural, regional and period differences. The distribution of these versions varies as well; some are common in certain geographical regions while others are seldom found.

It's notable that these surnames are flexible and subject to change, part of the living and evolving languages across generations and migrations. All the above variations and spellings belong to the same origin of the surname Milliken.

Famous people with the name Milliken

• Ruth Milliken: Canadian fiddler and composer
• Madeline Milliken: Mexican-American author
• Diane Milliken: Former Governor-General of Canada
• Katina Milliken: Canadian actress
• Ben Milliken: Former NBA player
• Robert Milliken: American oil and timber industrialist
• Walter Milliken: Former US Congressman
• Jean Milliken: Renowned French fashion designer
• Andrew Milliken: Australian newspaper editor and politician
• Jay Milliken: American actor
• Stuart Milliken: American military officer
• June Milliken: American painter
• George Milliken: Former US Ambassador to Belgium
• Elizabeth Milliken: Social reformer and Suffragette
• Jacqueline Milliken: American philanthropist
• Elsie Milliken: Nurse and World War II veteran
• Quinton Milliken: American university professor
• Harry Milliken: Former US Navy officer
• Alex Milliken: MMA fighter
• Edward Milliken: Australian footballer

Other surnames

MillikanMillikin