Ancestry records become quite complicated before the era of national Census reports and other national records. In the case of England from 1555 to the mid 1800s each parish was responsible for maintaining their own birth (Christening), Marriage, and death (Burial) records.
Within any one parish we frequently see three different spellings between the three major life events for the same person (e.g. Myllward at birth, Miller at Marriage, and Millard at death).
With individuals moving between parishes between these three life events, it becomes almost impossible to track them as being the same person.
Having said all that, many Ancestry.com family trees show John Millard of St Chadd's, Cheshire born 1608 being the first Millard in America (Massachusetts). However, they also show John had a son Thomas (ancestor of the Pennsylvania Millards) being born in Luton, Bedfordshire and another son, Robert, being born in Southampton, England.
The difficulties in 15th century England in traveling more than 160 miles from Cheshire to Bedfordshire, having a child, then traveling the same distance again to Southampton are almost insurmountable.
Some of the Pennsylvania have a tradition of having originated in Maulden, Bedfordshire (neighbouring Luton) and a belief of being descended from French Huguenots. Bedfordshire was, in fact, a significant "landing spot" for Huguenots from Flanders.
My personal belief is the likelihood of the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Millards being related only by a common surname, but finding proof is much more complicated.
Within any one parish we frequently see three different spellings between the three major life events for the same person (e.g. Myllward at birth, Miller at Marriage, and Millard at death).
With individuals moving between parishes between these three life events, it becomes almost impossible to track them as being the same person.
Having said all that, many Ancestry.com family trees show John Millard of St Chadd's, Cheshire born 1608 being the first Millard in America (Massachusetts). However, they also show John had a son Thomas (ancestor of the Pennsylvania Millards) being born in Luton, Bedfordshire and another son, Robert, being born in Southampton, England.
The difficulties in 15th century England in traveling more than 160 miles from Cheshire to Bedfordshire, having a child, then traveling the same distance again to Southampton are almost insurmountable.
Some of the Pennsylvania have a tradition of having originated in Maulden, Bedfordshire (neighbouring Luton) and a belief of being descended from French Huguenots. Bedfordshire was, in fact, a significant "landing spot" for Huguenots from Flanders.
My personal belief is the likelihood of the Pennsylvania and Massachusetts Millards being related only by a common surname, but finding proof is much more complicated.