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

Hilty, 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 Hilty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Hilty in America

Hilty is the 10553rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Hilty surname appeared 3,037 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 Hilty.

We can also compare 2010 data for Hilty 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 Hilty

The surname Hilty originates from the German-speaking regions of Switzerland, particularly the Swiss canton of Appenzell. It is believed to have derived from the Old High German word "hilta," which translates to "battle" or "fight." This suggests that the name may have initially been a descriptive surname referring to someone who was known for their prowess in battle or their aggressive nature.

The earliest recorded instances of the Hilty surname date back to the 14th century in Swiss historical records and documents. One notable example is found in the Appenzell Monastery Annals from the year 1349, which mentions a "Chunrat Hilti" as a resident of the village of Hundwil.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the Hilty surname began to spread beyond the borders of Switzerland as members of the family migrated to other parts of Europe and eventually to the Americas. In 1637, a Hans Hilty was recorded as a citizen of the city of Ulm in the German state of Baden-Württemberg.

One of the earliest known Hilty immigrants to North America was Johannes Hilty, who arrived in Pennsylvania from Switzerland in 1737. He settled in Lancaster County and became a prominent figure in the local Swiss-German community.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have carried the Hilty surname. These include:

1. Carl Hilty (1833-1909), a Swiss jurist and legal scholar who served as the President of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court from 1888 to 1904.

2. Johann Jakob Hilty (1819-1890), a Swiss theologian and author who was a prominent figure in the Reformed Church and wrote extensively on Christian ethics.

3. Philipp Hilty (1858-1909), a Swiss painter and illustrator known for his landscapes and depictions of rural life in Switzerland.

4. Gottfried Hilty (1847-1908), a Swiss politician and lawyer who served as a member of the Swiss Federal Council (the country's executive branch) from 1897 to 1908.

5. Gerold Hilty (1938-2008), a Swiss author and journalist who wrote numerous novels, short stories, and plays, many of which explored themes of Swiss identity and culture.

The Hilty surname has also been associated with various place names in Switzerland, such as Hiltisried, a municipality in the canton of Bern, and Hiltiberg, a mountain in the canton of Appenzell Innerrhoden.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Hilty

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

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

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

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