Miller Coat of Arms, Family Crest and Miller Family History

Miller Family History

The Miller ancient family history was found in the irishsurnames.com archives. Miller is an occupational name meaning 'grain-grinder', from a person who made his living grinding grain at a mill. Variants include Millar and Milner. This name is of Anglo-Saxon descent spreading to the Celtic countries of Ireland, Scotland and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout the above islands. Examples of such are a Robert le Melner, County Derbyshire, who was recorded in the 'Hundred Rolls', England, in the year 1273 and a William le Melner who was recorded in the 'Writs of Parliament' in the year 1300. A John le Mellere was recorded in the 'Writs of Parliament' in the year 1300.

In Ireland this name and its variants were introduced into Ulster Province by settlers who arrived from England and Scotland, especially during the seventeenth century. During the 'Plantations of Ireland' in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries Ireland was colonized by the English Crown with this period marking the end of Gaelic supremacy in Ireland. This period brought an influx of settlers into the country but, unlike the earlier Anglo-Norman invasion of the twelfth century that resulted in a full integration into Irish society of the new arrivals, the same never occurred with the Ulster Planters who maintained their own distinct identity.

In modern times the name is found most frequently in County Antrim as well as in County Dublin.The Miller family crest (or coat of arms) came into existence many centuries ago. The process of creating these coats of arms began as early as the eleventh century although a form of Proto-Heraldry may have existed in some countries prior to this, including Ireland. The new more formalized art of Heraldry made it possible for families and even individual family members to have their very own family crest, coat of arms, including Miller descendants.