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

Phil, 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 Phil surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phil in America

Phil is the 121590th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phil surname appeared 142 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 Phil.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phil 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 Phil

The surname "PHIL" is of English origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Old English personal name "Philippa," a feminine form of the Greek name "Philippos," meaning "lover of horses." The name was introduced to England by the Normans after the Norman Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname "PHIL" can be found in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive record of landowners in England compiled in 1086 by order of William the Conqueror. The name appears in various spellings, including "Phillippa," "Philippes," and "Phillipps."

In the 13th century, the surname "PHIL" was associated with several notable individuals. Roger Phil, a prominent landowner and knight, was mentioned in the Pipe Rolls of Staffordshire in 1230. William Phil, a wealthy merchant from London, was recorded in the City of London's records in 1275.

During the 14th century, the surname "PHIL" began to spread across England, with variations in spelling emerging due to regional dialects and transcription errors. In the Hundred Rolls of 1273, the name appears as "Phille" in Suffolk, while in the Subsidy Rolls of 1327, it is recorded as "Phyllip" in Somerset.

One of the earliest known bearers of the surname "PHIL" was John Phil, a landowner from Oxfordshire, who lived in the late 13th century. Another notable figure was Sir William Phil, a knight who fought alongside King Edward III in the Battle of Crécy during the Hundred Years' War in 1346.

In the 16th century, the surname "PHIL" gained prominence with the rise of the Phil family of Wiltshire. Thomas Phil (1490-1558) was a prominent member of this family, serving as a Member of Parliament and a Justice of the Peace. His son, Sir Robert Phil (1520-1588), was a renowned soldier and statesman who served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire.

Throughout history, the surname "PHIL" has been associated with various place names, such as Philipston in Gloucestershire and Philipstown in County Offaly, Ireland, suggesting that the name may have originated from these locations or that bearers of the name settled in these areas.

Other notable individuals with the surname "PHIL" include Sir John Phil (1592-1678), an English lawyer and politician who served as Chief Justice of the King's Bench, and James Phil (1722-1795), a Scottish author and philosopher known for his influential work on moral philosophy and political economy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phil

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

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

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

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