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

Hillis, 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 Hillis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hillis in America

Hillis is the 5884th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hillis surname appeared 5,866 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Hillis.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hillis 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 Hillis

The surname Hillis is of English origin, derived from the Old English word "hyll," meaning hill or elevated ground. It likely originated as a toponymic surname, referring to someone who lived near a hill or in a hilly region.

The earliest recorded instances of the surname date back to the 13th century in various parts of England, including Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Cambridgeshire. One of the earliest known bearers of the name was John Hillis, who was mentioned in the Lancashire Assize Rolls in 1285.

In the Hundred Rolls of Bedfordshire, compiled in 1273, there is a reference to a place called "Hillesden," which may have been derived from the same root as the surname Hillis. This suggests that the name may have been associated with certain locations or settlements in medieval England.

Over time, the surname underwent various spelling variations, including Hillis, Hilles, Hillys, and Hilhouse. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of scribes and record-keepers.

One notable bearer of the surname was Sir Robert Hillis (c. 1495-1565), an English landowner and Member of Parliament who served during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. Another was William Hillis (1684-1764), a prominent English clergyman and author who wrote several religious works.

In Scotland, the surname Hillis is also found, and it is believed to have originated independently from the English version, possibly derived from the Gaelic word "choill," meaning wood or forest. One of the earliest recorded Scots bearing this name was John Hillis, who was listed in the Ragman Rolls of 1296.

Across the Atlantic, the Hillis surname made its way to the American colonies in the 17th and 18th centuries, with immigrants from England, Scotland, and Ireland settling in various parts of the New World. Notable individuals with this surname in America include Samuel Hillis (1790-1863), a prominent Baptist minister and educator in Kentucky, and John Hillis (1826-1901), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War.

As time passed, the Hillis surname spread across the globe, carried by individuals and families who sought new opportunities or were driven by various historical events and migrations. Despite its widespread distribution, the name remains rooted in its English and Scottish origins, reflecting the rich tapestry of linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped surnames over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hillis

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

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

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

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