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

Hillier, 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 Hillier surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hillier in America

Hillier is the 10448th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hillier surname appeared 3,079 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 Hillier.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hillier 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 Hillier

The surname Hillier originated in England during the late medieval period. It is derived from the Old English word "hyl," meaning "hill," and the occupational suffix "-ier," signifying one who lived or worked on a hill. The name was likely first used to identify individuals residing near or working on a prominent hill or elevated area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Hillier can be found in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1273, which lists a person named William le Hillier in Oxfordshire. This suggests that the name was already in use by the 13th century and may have been adopted earlier.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in various spellings, such as Hyllyer, Hyllere, and Hyllyere, reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. The Subsidy Rolls of 1327 and 1332 recorded individuals named John le Hyllere and Adam le Hyllere in Somerset and Wiltshire, respectively.

The surname Hillier is also associated with several place names in England, such as Hillier's Copse in Hampshire and Hillier's Farm in Berkshire. These place names likely originated from individuals bearing the Hillier surname who owned or resided in those locations.

Notable individuals with the surname Hillier throughout history include:

1. Sir Harold Hillier (1905-1985), an English horticulturist and creator of the renowned Hillier Gardens in Hampshire.
2. Alfred Hillier (1839-1920), an English cricketer who played for Surrey and the Marylebone Cricket Club.
3. Thomas Hillier (1785-1867), an English architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Corn Exchange and the Haymarket Theatre.
4. Mary Hillier (1776-1847), an English diarist and author who wrote extensively about life in late 18th and early 19th century England.
5. John Hillier (1797-1875), a British painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life.

While the surname Hillier is predominantly found in England and has its roots in the English language, it has also been adopted in other parts of the world, likely through migration and intermarriage. However, the core meaning and origin of the name remain deeply rooted in the English landscape and its historical records.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hillier

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

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

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

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