2000
#8,217
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,713
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.38
Rare Last name
Dills
An English habitational surname derived from places named Dill or Dille, likely referring to a valley or dale.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,993 Americans carry the last name Dills. That puts it at #9,015 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.16 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 85,839 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Dills surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
4.0K
1 in 85,839
Census rank
#9,015
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,482 bearers of the surname Dills in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.16 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9015th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Dills, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Dills
The surname DILLS is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "dill," which means "a valley" or "a hollow." It is believed that the name first emerged as a descriptive reference to a person who lived in a valley or a hollow area. The name may also have evolved from a place name containing the word "dill."
The earliest recorded instances of the DILLS surname date back to the late 12th century in various English counties, including Kent and Sussex. The name is found in the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which were ancient census records compiled in England during the reign of King Edward I.
One notable historical figure bearing the DILLS surname was Sir Robert Dills, a prominent landowner and military commander during the Wars of the Roses in the 15th century. He fought alongside the House of Lancaster and participated in several key battles, including the Battle of Towton in 1461.
In the 16th century, the name DILLS appeared in the parish records of St. Mary's Church in Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk. During this period, variations in the spelling of the surname were common, including Dille, Dyll, and Dil.
Another notable individual with the DILLS surname was John Dills, a prominent merchant and trader who lived in London during the 17th century. He established a successful import-export business and was involved in the East India Company's trade ventures.
In the 18th century, the DILLS surname gained recognition through the works of the English poet and essayist, Joseph Dills (1715-1775). He was a celebrated writer of his time and contributed to several literary publications, including "The Gentleman's Magazine."
During the 19th century, the DILLS surname was associated with the textile industry in Lancashire, England. James Dills (1812-1890) was a notable figure in this industry, owning and operating a successful cotton mill in Manchester.
Another prominent figure bearing the DILLS surname was Sir William Dills (1857-1932), a British politician and diplomat who served as the Governor of New Zealand from 1920 to 1925. He played a significant role in shaping the country's political and social landscape during his tenure.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Dills
Among Census respondents with the surname Dills, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Dills bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Dills surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.3% · 3,110
- Two or more races4.8% · 168
- Hispanic or Latino2.4% · 84
- Black or African American2.4% · 82
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 24
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 14
Timeline
Historical Census data for Dills
Dills appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#8,494
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,878
+165 bearers (+4.4%)
Per 100,000 1.31
Rank movement Down 277 places
2020
#9,015
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,482
-396 bearers (-10.2%)
Per 100,000 1.16
Rank movement Down 521 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #8,217 | 3,713 | 1.38 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #8,494 | 3,878 | 1.31 | +165 bearers (+4.4%) | Down 277 places |
| 2020 | #9,015 | 3,482 | 1.16 | -396 bearers (-10.2%) | Down 521 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Dills surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #8,494 | #9,015 | -6.1% |
| Count | 3,878 | 3,482 | -10.2% |
| Per 100K | 1.31 | 1.16 | -11.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Dills bearers went from 3,878 to 3,482 (-10.2% change). The surname moved down 521 positions in the national ranking, going from #8,494 to #9,015.
FAQ
Dills surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Dills?
Name Census estimates that about 3,993 living Americans carry the surname Dills. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 85,839 residents.
How common is Dills?
Dills ranks #9,015 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.16 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,482 people with the surname Dills. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,993), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.16 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.16 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Dills.
Has Dills become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Dills went from 3,878 recorded bearers to 3,482. That is a decrease of 396 (-10.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #8,494 to #9,015.
What does the Census say about the background of Dills?
Among Census respondents with the surname Dills, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (4.8%) and Hispanic (2.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Dills in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.3% (3,110 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Dills appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.3%), Two or More Races (4.8%), Hispanic (2.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Dills (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Dills mean?
An English habitational surname derived from places named Dill or Dille, likely referring to a valley or dale. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Dills (1.16 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Dills?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.