Explore the Family Name Milk
The meaning of Milk
1. English (Norfolk): nickname from Middle English milk ‘milk’ (Old English meolc). There are many possible reasons for the use of such a nickname, including milk-white hair, the collecting or selling of milk, and of course the drinking of milk—whether or not taken to indicate effeminacy or spiritlessness. 2. Sorbian: from a pet form of a personal name such as Miłosław, based on the Slavic element mil ‘gentle, dear’ (from Old Slavic milъ). This surname is found mainly in Germanized forms, such as Mielke and Milke. 3. Probably also an Americanized form (translation into English) of German Milch ‘milk’. 4. Perhaps also an American shortened form of a surname beginning with Milk-, such as Polish Miłkowski (see Milkowski).
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Milk in the United States?
The surname Milk has seen a small but significant increase in popularity according to the Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, it was ranked as the 54,880th most common surname, with 351 individuals carrying the name. By 2010, the rank had improved to 53,072nd, with an increase of 39 people for a total count of 390. This represents an 11.11% rise over the decade, while the proportion per 100,000 people remained stable at 0.13.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #54,880 | #53,072 | 3.29% |
| Count | 351 | 390 | 11.11% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.13 | 0.13 | 0% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Milk
As for ethnicity, the Decennial U.S. Census data shows that the majority of people with the surname Milk identify as White; this group, however, decreased by 4.27% from 76.07% in 2000 to 72.82% in 2010. Hispanics bearing the surname experienced a significant increase, skyrocketing by 160.55% from 2.56% in 2000 to 6.67% in 2010. Notably, those identifying as having two or more races appeared in the 2010 data, making up 2.56% of the total. Meanwhile, the percentage of American Indian and Alaskan Natives declined by 12.65% to 16.92%. There were no individuals identified as Asian/Pacific Islander or Black in either year.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 76.07% | 72.82% | -4.27% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 19.37% | 16.92% | -12.65% |
| Hispanic | 2.56% | 6.67% | 160.55% |
| Two or More Races | 0% | 2.56% | 0% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% |
| Black | 0% | 0% | 0% |