2010
#160,975
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 100
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.03
Very Rare Last name
Hillison
From a hill or small village near a hill.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Hillison. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Hillison 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
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Hillison in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Hillison, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Hillison
The surname HILLISON is of English origin, and it is believed to have emerged in the medieval period, around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Old English words "hyll," meaning hill, and "tun," meaning a settlement or enclosure, suggesting that the earliest bearers of this surname lived near or on a hill.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, dating back to 1273, where it appears as "Hilletun." This suggests that the name was initially associated with a specific place, likely a village or hamlet located on or near a hill.
In the 14th century, the surname appeared in various spellings, such as "Hylletun," "Hillyton," and "Hillytown," reflecting the regional variations in pronunciation and spelling during that period. The modern spelling of "HILLISON" likely emerged as a further evolution of these earlier forms.
One notable historical figure bearing this surname was Sir John HILLISON, a prominent landowner and member of the gentry in Warwickshire during the 15th century. He was recorded as holding significant estates in the region and played an active role in local governance.
In the 16th century, the HILLISON family had established roots in several counties, including Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. One notable member from this period was Robert HILLISON (1525-1591), a wealthy merchant and alderman in the city of Bristol, who contributed significantly to the city's trade and economic development.
During the 17th century, the HILLISON surname was particularly prevalent in the counties of Berkshire and Oxfordshire. John HILLISON (1620-1682), a respected member of the clergy, served as the Rector of Bray in Berkshire and was known for his influential sermons and writings on theological matters.
As the centuries progressed, the HILLISON name continued to be well-represented across various regions of England. In the 19th century, William HILLISON (1811-1878), a prominent industrialist and inventor, made significant contributions to the development of textile machinery, further enhancing the reputation of this surname in the realms of innovation and entrepreneurship.
Throughout its history, the surname HILLISON has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the rich tapestry of English society and the enduring presence of this name across various regions and communities.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Hillison
Among Census respondents with the surname Hillison, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Hillison 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 Hillison surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.6% · 99
- Hispanic or Latino9.7% · 11
- Two or more races1.8% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Hillison
Hillison appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+13 bearers (+13.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 13,754 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #160,975 | 100 | 0.03 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | +13 bearers (+13.0%) | Up 13,754 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 Hillison 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 | #160,975 | #147,221 | 8.5% |
| Count | 100 | 113 | 13.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.04 | 26.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Hillison bearers went from 100 to 113 (+13.0% change). The surname moved up 13,754 positions in the national ranking, going from #160,975 to #147,221.
FAQ
Hillison surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Hillison?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Hillison. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Hillison?
Hillison ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Hillison. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Hillison.
Has Hillison become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Hillison went from 100 recorded bearers to 113. That is an increase of 13 (+13.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #160,975 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Hillison?
Among Census respondents with the surname Hillison, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.6%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (9.7%) and Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Hillison in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.6% (99 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Hillison appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.6%), Hispanic (9.7%), Two or More Races (1.8%). 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 Hillison (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 Hillison mean?
From a hill or small village near a hill. 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 Hillison (0.04 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 people have the surname Hillison?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.