Find out how popular the last name Athill is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Athill.

Athill, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Athill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Athill in America

Athill is the 156044th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Athill surname appeared 104 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Athill.

The history of the last name Athill

The surname Athill is of English origin, derived from a locational name for someone who came from a place called Athill. The name is thought to have originated in the 11th century, and is believed to be a combination of the Old English words "æt" meaning "at" and "hyll" meaning "hill."

The earliest recorded instance of the name Athill dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Athehill." This entry suggests that the name was already well-established in England by the time of the Norman Conquest.

Throughout the Middle Ages, various spellings of the name were used, including Athyll, Atthyll, and Atylle. The name was particularly prevalent in the counties of Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire, where there were several places called Athill or variations thereof.

One notable early bearer of the name was Sir Thomas Athill, a 14th-century English soldier who fought in the Hundred Years' War. He was knighted for his bravery in the Battle of Crécy in 1346.

In the 16th century, the Athill family established themselves as landowners in the village of Arborfield in Berkshire. The Athill family held the manor of Arborfield for several generations, and several of its members were prominent in local affairs.

Another influential figure was Sir John Athill, a 17th-century politician and Member of Parliament for the borough of Reading. He was a staunch supporter of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War.

During the 18th century, the name Athill was also found in Ireland, where it was likely introduced by English settlers. One notable Irish bearer of the name was Thomas Athill, a 19th-century author and historian who wrote extensively on the topography and antiquities of Ireland.

In the 19th century, the Athill family continued to be active in public life. Sir George Athill-Pursglove was a British Army officer who served in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery in action.

Throughout its history, the surname Athill has maintained its connection to its locational origins, serving as a reminder of the rich tapestry of English place names and their enduring influence on family names.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Athill

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Athill.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Athill was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Athill was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Athill, please contact us.

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