Mallett Surname Origins — ‘Mil’ Variants 1851
'Mil' Variations and Frequencies - all Counties
Millett and Millet are the dominant forms of the name. Though there are undoubtedly families who insist on a certain spelling, there is little doubt that both of these names have a common source. Most of the other variations appear to be derivations of the first two, and don't occur in large enough numbers to be considered to be distinct surnames in any event.
For a detailed look at the other surname variants, follow the links in the menu to the left.
'Mil' Variants Overall Distribution
Each symbol on the map represents at least one occurrence of the associated name in a particular location - but does not accurately represent population density.
'Mil' Variants Distribution by Region
For a listing of the counties contained in each region see “Geographic Regions” on the main 1851 census page.
Given that "Millett" variants are well represented in the West Country counties of Somerset and Cornwall as well as Norfolk, one might reasonably conclude that the name derives from Malet because of the historical presence of that name in these areas, however the name is also very well represented in the Northern Counties where the Malet name has little historical reference and where variations of "Mallett" were not common in 1851.
It is possible that the name is derived from Malet in those areas where Mallett variants are common, and in fact this is quite likely, at least in some cases, but it may also have arisen from other sources elsewhere.
As with all of the other surname variants, the South East region, heavily influenced by Greater London, is well represented by Milletts, but for reasons stated elsewhere, this region should not be considered to be an ancestral base for the name.
'Mil' Variants Population Density by County
This map gives a clear visual indication of which counties were home to the largest number of people with all surname variants in 1851. Only the most populous counties are identified by name.
'Mil' Variants Population Density by Locale
Each dot on the map represents at least 1 person. The larger the dot, the larger the population at that place.
Some large population centres of note are: Wiveliscombe, Norton St Philip, Rode, Frome, and Bedminster (Somerset); Madron, Marazion, Callington (Cornwall); Liverpool, Manchester, and Bury (Lancashire); Pontefract (Yorkshire); Herrington (Leicestershire); Portsea, and Alverstoke (Hampshire); Macclesfield, and Stockport (Cheshire).
'Mil' Variants Distribution by County
The accompanying table shows the most common 'Mil' variations in the counties where they were found in the largest numbers. The total at the right hand side represents the total number of all 'Mil' variations found in the corresponding county – not just the most common ones (some are not shown for want of space).
Sources:
- Ancestry.co.uk. 1851 England Census [database online]. Provo, Utah: MyFamily.com, Inc., 2005. Indexed by MyFamily.com, Inc. from microfilmed schedules of the 1851 England Census. Data imaged from the National Archives, London, England.
- Maps produced using GenMap UK, from Archer Software.
Author:
Bob Mallett
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
November 30, 2025.