German surname
Miller
Occupational surname
Müller (often anglicized as Muller or Mueller) is the German occupational surname for a miller, derived from Middle High German 'müllære'. As in England, the miller occupied a central place in the rural economy, grinding grain for the community. The name is one of the most common surnames in German-speaking countries.
It spread widely through German emigration to North America and elsewhere. The umlaut is frequently dropped in English-speaking contexts, producing the form Muller. The surname’s frequency reflects the universal need for milling services.
Build a family tree with everyone's actual names, photos and relationships.
Miller. The most common German surname, for someone who operated a grain mill.
Muller is a German-origin surname. Popularity varies widely by country and region, and the same surname can be common in one place and rare in another.
Yes. Surnames, especially occupational and descriptive ones like this, were often adopted independently by many unrelated families who happened to share a trade, appearance, or location.
No account or personal details are required to look up a surname's meaning - this page is static reference content.