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

Billman, 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 Billman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Billman in America

Billman is the 10019th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Billman surname appeared 3,218 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Billman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Billman to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Billman

The surname Billman has its origins in Germany and dates back to the late medieval period. It is derived from the German words "bille" meaning "axe" and "mann" meaning "man", denoting an occupation or trade as a woodcutter or lumberjack. The name was predominantly found in the forested regions of southern Germany, particularly in the areas around the Black Forest and the Bavarian Alps.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Billman can be found in the Württemberg Tax Rolls of 1488, where a Hans Billman is listed as a resident of the town of Calw. Another early reference is in the church records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where a Johannes Billman was recorded as a baptized child in 1512.

In the 16th century, the Billman surname began to spread beyond its traditional heartland as families migrated to other parts of Germany and neighboring regions. Notable individuals from this period include Peter Billman (c. 1520-1585), a master woodcarver from Ulm whose intricate works adorned several churches in the region.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Billman name continued to grow in prominence, with several families establishing themselves as respected craftsmen and entrepreneurs. Johann Billman (1642-1718) was a successful timber merchant in Nuremberg, while Christoph Billman (1701-1772) gained recognition as a skilled clockmaker in Augsburg.

As the Industrial Revolution took hold in the 19th century, many Billmans left their rural roots and sought opportunities in the growing cities and manufacturing centers of Germany. One such individual was August Billman (1825-1901), a pioneer in the field of mechanical engineering who designed innovative machinery for the textile industry.

Throughout its history, the Billman surname has also found its way beyond the borders of Germany, carried by individuals who emigrated to other parts of Europe, the Americas, and beyond. Among the notable figures with this name were the American industrialist William Billman (1856-1934), who founded the Billman Foundry and Machine Company in Pennsylvania, and the British author and journalist Robert Billman (1914-1998), known for his chronicles of World War II.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Billman

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

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 Billman 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.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Billman has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

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 Billman was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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