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

Phills, 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 Phills surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Phills in America

Phills is the 112568th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Phills surname appeared 156 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 Phills.

We can also compare 2010 data for Phills 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 Phills

The surname Phills is believed to have originated in England during the medieval period. It is thought to have derived from the Old English word "phil" or "phille," which referred to a deep hole or valley. As such, the name may have initially been a descriptive surname given to someone who lived near or worked in a deep ravine or valley.

Some of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Phills can be found in various parish records and tax rolls from the 13th and 14th centuries. For example, a Willam Phille is mentioned in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire from 1279. Additionally, a John Phillis appears in the Subsidy Rolls of Yorkshire from 1327.

The surname Phills has also been linked to several place names throughout England, such as Phillis Court in Worcestershire and Phillis Farm in Staffordshire. These place names likely originated from the same Old English root word and may have influenced the development and spelling of the surname over time.

One notable individual with the surname Phills was Sir John Phills, a wealthy merchant and alderman who lived in London during the late 16th century. Born in 1542, Sir John Phills was a prominent figure in the city's mercantile community and served as the Lord Mayor of London in 1598.

Another historical figure bearing the surname Phills was William Phills, a renowned architect and surveyor who lived in the early 18th century. Born in 1678, Phills was responsible for designing several notable buildings in London, including the Church of St. George in the East and the Foundling Hospital.

In the literary world, the surname Phills is associated with the poet and writer Dorothy Phills, who lived from 1892 to 1964. Phills was a member of the famous Bloomsbury Group and published several volumes of poetry, as well as a novel titled "The Deluge" in 1923.

The name Phills has also been connected to the world of sports. One example is Frank Phills, a professional baseball player who played for the Chicago White Sox in the early 20th century. Born in 1884, Phills had a brief but notable career in Major League Baseball.

Lastly, the surname Phills has been traced back to the town of Phillis Bridge in West Yorkshire, which was once home to a significant population of individuals bearing this name. This connection suggests that the surname may have originated in this particular region before spreading to other parts of England over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Phills

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

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

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

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