The word mile was first used by the Romans and was equal to 1,000 paces (1 pace = 2 steps). In Latin 1,000 paces is mille passus, and this eventually came to be known in English as a mile.

The current definition of a mile is 5,280 feet and this dates back to the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the 16th century.  It was decided that a standard definition of a mile was needed for legal and commercial reasons. It may also have been required so that land could be taxed. Different parts of the country had different definitions of exactly what a mile was, and this made it difficult to agree on the amount of tax due. A law was passed in 1592 that a mile was 5,280 feet and this became known as the statute mile.

In Ireland, however, a mile was 6,720 feet, 1,440 feet longer than a British mile. This is why on some older English-made maps of Ireland you will find the term "Irish miles".