Millett
Usually a diminutive surname, probably from Miles or Millicent, with some early forms also influenced by the common word for millet grain.
The #8,590 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 80,528 Americans shares it.
Etymology
Most authorities treat Millett as a diminutive surname, especially from the personal name Miles or, less certainly, from Millicent. The form may reflect a French-style diminutive ending, giving the sense of “little Miles” or “little Millicent.” One source also notes the overlap with the common noun millet, so in some cases the surname may have been reinforced by or confused with the grain word.
History
The surname appears in medieval and early modern records in several spellings, including Millot and Millett. Because it is linked to a popular given name, it could arise independently in more than one place, which helps explain its scattered distribution. Modern bearers are found chiefly in English-speaking countries, including the United States.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
One 20th-century surname guide explicitly grouped Millett with names that can be read either as diminutives of personal names or as surnames that overlap with ordinary words like corn and grain.
From the historical record
“Oxf. vol. ii. pt. ii. p. 333. 161Q. William Baven and Jane Millett : Marriage Lie. (London), ii. 79. 1626. Jonathan Head and Mary Bavin : ibid. p. 168.”
— A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames (alternate scan)