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

Drilling, 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 Drilling surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Drilling in America

Drilling is the 40672nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Drilling surname appeared 537 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 Drilling.

We can also compare 2010 data for Drilling 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 Drilling

The surname DRILLING is believed to have originated in Germany, likely in the late medieval period around the 14th or 15th century. It is derived from the German word "drillen," which means "to drill" or "to bore." This suggests that the name may have originally referred to an occupation or trade involving drilling or boring activities, such as a carpenter, woodworker, or metalworker.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the DRILLING surname can be found in the historic town records of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, a well-preserved medieval town in Bavaria, Germany. In these records, dated around the late 15th century, there are entries mentioning individuals with the surname DRILLING, indicating their presence in the region during that time.

The DRILLING surname also appears in various other historical documents from different parts of Germany, such as church records, tax rolls, and legal documents. For example, in the parish records of the small town of Wittenberg, located in the state of Saxony-Anhalt, there are entries dating back to the 16th century that mention individuals with the DRILLING surname.

One notable individual with the DRILLING surname was Johann Drilling, a German theologian and philosopher who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries (c. 1565-1625). He was a professor at the University of Heidelberg and authored several works on theology and philosophy.

Another historical figure with the DRILLING surname was Hans Drilling, a German goldsmith and engraver who lived in the 16th century (c. 1530-1590). He was renowned for his intricate metalwork and was commissioned by various noble patrons throughout his career.

In the 18th century, there was a notable DRILLING family in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber. One member of this family, Georg Drilling (1720-1789), served as the town's mayor and played a significant role in the town's governance during his tenure.

As the DRILLING surname spread across Germany and beyond, it underwent various spelling variations, such as Drillinger, Drillich, and Drillig. These variations can be found in historical records from different regions and time periods.

While the DRILLING surname has its roots in Germany, it eventually spread to other parts of Europe and beyond through migration and immigration. Some individuals with this surname may have also adopted it as a descriptive name based on their occupation or trade, further contributing to its widespread distribution.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Drilling

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

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

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

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