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

Dill, 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 Dill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Dill in America

Dill is the 1980th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Dill surname appeared 18,215 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname Dill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Dill 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 Dill

The surname Dill is of Germanic origin, derived from the Old German word "dille" or "dill," which means "dill plant." This name likely originated as a descriptive nickname for someone who grew or sold dill, or who lived near an area where dill was abundant.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname Dill can be traced back to the 13th century in various regions of Germany. Historical records from this period, such as tax rolls and property deeds, contain references to individuals with the surname Dill or its variants, like Dylle or Dyl.

In the 16th century, the surname Dill began to appear in other parts of Europe, including Switzerland and the Netherlands. This was likely due to the migration of German families seeking new opportunities or fleeing religious persecution.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname Dill was Johannes Dill, a German merchant who lived in the city of Nuremberg in the late 14th century. Records indicate that he was involved in the trade of spices and herbs, which may have contributed to the origin of his surname.

Another notable individual with the surname Dill was Sir John Dill (1570-1628), an English politician and landowner from Hertfordshire. He served as a member of Parliament and was knighted by King James I in 1617.

In the 18th century, the Dill surname gained prominence in the United States, particularly in Pennsylvania, where many German immigrants settled. One of the earliest recorded Dills in America was Jacob Dill, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1732 from the Palatinate region of Germany.

A famous bearer of the Dill surname was Samuel Dill (1844-1924), an American Civil War veteran and politician from Ohio. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1891 to 1893.

Another notable Dill was Sir John Greer Dill (1881-1944), a British Army officer who served as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during World War II. He played a crucial role in the Allied war effort and was instrumental in the planning of the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

Over the centuries, the Dill surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as Dyll, Dille, and Dil, reflecting regional dialects and phonetic adaptations. Despite these variations, the name's roots can be traced back to its Germanic origins and its association with the dill plant.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Dill

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

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

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

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