name
Common
Mills
mihlz
Mills (name) means an English and Scottish occupational surname referring to mill owners or workers, also used as a given name and the name of several small American communities. Example: “The Mills family had run the local grain mill for generations.”
name
1
An English and Scottish occupational surname referring to mill owners or workers, also used as a given name and the name of several small American communities.
"The Mills family had run the local grain mill for generations."
Vocabulary Flow
Build your vocabulary from words like Mills.
Vocabulary Flow serves the next word, and the next — meaning, pronunciation and an example each time. Practice at your level, or learn English in your own language.
Start vocabulary practice
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ family had run the local grain mill for generations.
Etymology
Derives from mills, referring to mill owners and mill workers.
Rhymes for Mills
See all rhymes for Mills →Frequently asked questions
What does “Mills” mean?
The word “Mills” means an English and Scottish occupational surname referring to mill owners or workers, also used as a given name and the name of several small American communities.
How do you pronounce “Mills”?
“Mills” is pronounced mihlz (/mɪlz/ in IPA).
How do you use “Mills” in a sentence?
Here is “Mills” used in a sentence: “The Mills family had run the local grain mill for generations.”
What part of speech is “Mills”?
“Mills” is a name.
Is “Mills” a common word?
“Mills” is a fairly common word in modern English.
Is Mills a surname or a first name?
Both. Mills is primarily an English and Scottish occupational surname, historically referring to people who owned or worked at mills, but it is also used as a given name.
Why is Mills a common English and Scottish surname?
Mills is an occupational surname, meaning it originally identified people by their trade — in this case, those who owned or worked at mills. Occupational surnames like this became fixed family names over generations.
Is the surname Mills always capitalized?
Yes. As a proper noun — whether used as a surname, a given name, or a place name — Mills is always written with a capital M.
Are there places named Mills?
Yes. In addition to being a surname and a given name, Mills is the name of several small American communities.
Featured in
Vocabulary lists that include Mills:
