2000
#109,915
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 149
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.06
Very Rare Last name
Milestone
A surname referring to a boundary marker or significant event or achievement.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 172 Americans carry the last name Milestone. That puts it at #121,361 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,992,758 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Milestone surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Milestone with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
172
1 in 1,992,758
Census rank
#121,361
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
150
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 150 bearers of the surname Milestone in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 121361st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Milestone, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Milestone
The surname "Milestone" is of English origin and dates back to the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated in the Midlands region of England, where it was likely derived from a place name or a topographical feature related to milestones or boundary markers.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the parish records of Staffordshire, where a John Milestone was listed in 1597. This suggests that the name was already in use by that time and may have been derived from a location within that county or a nearby area.
The name may have its roots in the Old English words "mil" meaning a measure of distance, and "stan" meaning stone. Combined, these words could refer to a milestone or a stone marker used to indicate distances along a road or path. It is possible that the surname was initially given to someone who lived near such a marker or was responsible for maintaining them.
In the 17th and 18th centuries, the name appeared in various records across England, with variations in spelling such as Mileston, Milston, and Mylestone. Some notable individuals from this period include William Milestone, a merchant from London who was active in the 1660s, and John Milestone, a yeoman farmer from Warwickshire who was mentioned in a land deed from 1712.
As the name spread across England, it was also associated with certain place names that may have influenced its spelling or pronunciation. For example, the village of Milstone in Gloucestershire could have been a contributing factor, as well as the Milstone River in Somerset.
Among the more prominent individuals bearing the surname Milestone throughout history are:
1. Robert Milestone (1678-1744), an English clergyman and author who published works on theology and philosophy.
2. Elizabeth Milestone (1825-1911), a British writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and education reform.
3. John Milestone (1839-1921), a British architect known for designing several churches and public buildings in London.
4. William Milestone (1855-1932), an English cricketer who played for Gloucestershire County Cricket Club in the late 19th century.
5. Margaret Milestone (1906-1987), an American artist and sculptor recognized for her work in the Art Deco style.
While the surname "Milestone" may not be among the most common in the English-speaking world, it has a rich history that spans several centuries and reflects the diverse landscapes and cultural influences of its origins.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Milestone
Among Census respondents with the surname Milestone, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Two or More Races (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Milestone bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Milestone surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.3% · 131
- Hispanic or Latino7.3% · 11
- Two or more races3.3% · 5
- Black or African American2.0% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Milestone
Milestone appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#116,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 150
+1 bearers (+0.7%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 6,286 places
2020
#121,361
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 150
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.05
Rank movement Down 5,160 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #109,915 | 149 | 0.06 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #116,201 | 150 | 0.05 | +1 bearers (+0.7%) | Down 6,286 places |
| 2020 | #121,361 | 150 | 0.05 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 5,160 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Milestone surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #116,201 | #121,361 | -4.4% |
| Count | 150 | 150 | 0.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.05 | 0.05 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Milestone bearers went from 150 to 150 (+0.0% change). The surname moved down 5,160 positions in the national ranking, going from #116,201 to #121,361.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Milestone
FAQ
Milestone surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Milestone?
Name Census estimates that about 172 living Americans carry the surname Milestone. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,992,758 residents.
How common is Milestone?
Milestone ranks #121,361 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.05 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 150 people with the surname Milestone. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (172), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.05 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.05 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Milestone.
Has Milestone become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Milestone went from 150 recorded bearers to 150. That is an increase of 0 (+0.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #116,201 to #121,361.
What does the Census say about the background of Milestone?
Among Census respondents with the surname Milestone, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.3%) and Two or More Races (3.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Milestone in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.3% (131 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Milestone appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.3%), Hispanic (7.3%), Two or More Races (3.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Milestone (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Milestone mean?
A surname referring to a boundary marker or significant event or achievement. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Milestone (0.05 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Milestone?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.