Milton is a city in Santa Rosa County, Florida, United States. The city was incorporated in 1844 and is home to Naval Air Station Whiting Field. The population was 7,045 at the 2000 census. In 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 8,044. The population estimate for 2013 was 9,323. It is the county seat of Santa Rosa County. Milton was known by various names during its development. Most notable were "Jernigan's Landing", "Scratch Ankle" (due to the briars that grew along the riverbank), "Hard Scrabble", and later Mill Town because of the lumber mill which eventually shortened to Milton.