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

Lillian, 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 Lillian surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Lillian in America

Lillian is the 114424th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Lillian surname appeared 153 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname Lillian.

We can also compare 2010 data for Lillian 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 Lillian

The surname Lillian is of English origin, derived from the Old French "l'ilien" meaning "the lily." It first emerged in the 12th century as a descriptive name given to someone associated with the lily flower, either through occupation or location.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Cambridgeshire from 1273, which mention a William Lilian. The Subsidy Rolls of Worcestershire from 1327 also reference a John Lilyan.

During the Middle Ages, the name was sometimes spelled as Lilian, Lilyan, or Lylian, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling at the time. Some early bearers of the name were likely connected to the cultivation or trading of lilies, which were highly valued for their symbolic and medicinal properties.

In the 16th century, the name appeared in various parish records across England. Notable examples include Margery Lillian, who was baptized in Walsall, Staffordshire, in 1567, and Thomas Lillian, whose will was recorded in Stratford-upon-Avon in 1599.

Over time, the name spread to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to the Americas through immigration. One prominent bearer of the name was Sir John Lillian (1616-1684), an English diplomat and politician who served as Ambassador to the Ottoman Empire.

Another notable figure was Lillian Russell (1861-1922), an American actress and singer who became one of the most popular stage performers of the late 19th century. She was renowned for her beauty and charismatic stage presence.

In the literary world, Lillian Hellman (1905-1984) was an American playwright and screenwriter known for works such as "The Children's Hour" and "The Little Foxes." Her plays often explored themes of social injustice and moral ambiguity.

The name Lillian has also been associated with various place names, such as Lillian, Alabama, and Lillian, Texas, which may have been named after early settlers or landowners bearing the surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Lillian

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

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

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

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