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

Rill, 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 Rill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Rill in America

Rill is the 25403rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Rill surname appeared 974 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 Rill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Rill 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 Rill

The surname RILL has its roots in England, originating during the medieval period. It is believed to have derived from the Old English word "ryl," meaning a small stream or rivulet. This suggests that the name's earliest bearers likely resided near such a water source.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the RILL surname can be traced back to the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of landowners and their estates commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name appeared in various spellings, including "Rile" and "Ryle," reflecting the fluid nature of surnames during that era.

Throughout the centuries, the RILL surname has been associated with several notable individuals. One such figure was Sir John Rill (1564-1639), a prominent English merchant and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for the city of London in the early 17th century.

Another historically significant bearer of the RILL name was William Rill (1736-1813), a British naval officer who distinguished himself during the American Revolutionary War. He rose through the ranks and eventually attained the position of Rear Admiral in the Royal Navy.

In the realm of literature, the name RILL is linked to the 19th-century English author and poet Elizabeth Rill (1828-1901). Her works, although not widely acclaimed during her lifetime, have since been recognized for their insightful portrayal of Victorian society.

The RILL surname also has connections to the world of academia. One notable example is Professor Robert Rill (1892-1972), a renowned historian and author who made significant contributions to the study of medieval Europe through his scholarly works and teachings at Oxford University.

Lastly, the name RILL has been associated with places and locations as well. One such instance is the village of Rill in Somerset, England, which likely derived its name from the presence of a small stream or rivulet in the area, reflecting the surname's etymological origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Rill

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!