Reeve Family Tree

For additional information on the Milam family go to the Milam Family History site at Milam Family History and Genealogy Archives

Link to the "Earliest Milams in America".

Berkshire & Oxfordshire England

The earliest Milams who came to America were English Puritans who settled in The Massachusetts Bay Colony between 1629 and 1635. They came to Massachusetts from Berkshire County and neighboring Oxfordshire County in southern England. Records indicate that several Milam families lived in Berkshire County. The parish of Hurst has many Mylams & Milams in the listings.

Milam Name Origin

The spelling of the name, be it Milam or Milum, was derived from the original surname of Mileham. The Mileham name originated from a large manor located seven miles Northwest of East Dercham, England on the road from Northwich to King's Lynn, England. In this manor are the remains of an ancient castle, and prehistoric mounds with horseshoes out-works, probably Roman.

The name "Mileham" was probably given to this manor by the Anglo Saxons in the 10th Century. The name was probably derived from the Anglo Saxon "Mylen", a mill. Records show that the name Mileham existed in the year 1100. Within this manor was the Mileham castle and a church called "St. John The Baptist".

Records show that in 1377 there was anciently a family who took their name from the town. George De Mileham had lands here about the 5th year of the rein of Edward III. He also had a brother named William. William Mileham left a daughter and heir named Margaret, who married Nicholas Atte-Church.

From many of the old records and oral communication of our ancestors came this caveat of information. One branch of the Mileham clan came from Wales and then migrated to Yorkshire, England to Boston, Massachusetts and then to Virginia. This information is in line with the fact that the Mileham heraldry is that of a knight or soldier. Wales was conquered and settled by the English in the 13th and 14th centuries. There were many great castles and garrisons built in Wales to house the English soldiers left to defend the land.

On coming to America the name was shortened to Milam, Milum and Mylum due to lack of education. In early days written documents frequently were prepared by other individuals who could read and write. As early as 1716 the name Mileham was often shortened to Mileam, Milum and Mylum. Legal documents would often have last names of brothers spelled differently.

Source:

(1) Milam Name Origin by Cheryl Bush submitted this to Bush-Felty Family Tree on 19 March 2012 from Ancestory.com.