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

Hilson, 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 Hilson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hilson in America

Hilson is the 11543rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hilson surname appeared 2,723 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 Hilson.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hilson 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 Hilson

The surname Hilson has its origins in England, emerging in the late medieval period around the 13th or 14th century. It is believed to be a locational surname, derived from a place name such as Hill's Town or Hilton. The earliest recorded instances of the name date back to the late 13th century, with variations like Hylston and Hilston appearing in historic documents.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Robert de Hilston, who was mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Staffordshire in 1327. Another early record is that of John Hilston, listed in the Court Rolls of the Manor of Wakefield in Yorkshire in 1379.

The name Hilson can be traced back to various place names across England, including Hilston in Monmouthshire, Hilton in Staffordshire, and Hilton in Derbyshire. These place names likely originated from the Old English words "hyll" or "hyl," meaning hill, and "tun," meaning a settlement or farmstead.

In the 16th century, the Hilson surname gained prominence with the birth of Thomas Hilson (c. 1550-1625), an English lawyer and Member of Parliament. He served as the Recorder of Coventry and represented the borough in the House of Commons during the reign of James I.

Another notable figure was John Hilson (1599-1657), an English Puritan minister and one of the authors of the Westminster Confession of Faith. He was a prominent figure in the English Reformation and served as the rector of Croscombe in Somerset.

In the 18th century, William Hilson (1718-1786) was a renowned English engraver and printmaker, known for his intricate etchings and engravings of landscapes and architectural subjects.

The 19th century saw the birth of John Hilson (1835-1916), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician. He was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Queensland and played a significant role in the development of the sugar industry in the state.

In the 20th century, notable individuals with the surname Hilson include Herbert Hilson (1903-1981), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Gloucestershire and represented England in Test matches against South Africa and the West Indies.

The surname Hilson has a rich history rooted in various regions of England, with its origins dating back to the medieval period. While the name has evolved over the centuries, it remains a testament to the diverse linguistic and cultural influences that have shaped English surnames.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hilson

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

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

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

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