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

Sills, 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 Sills surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sills in America

Sills is the 5171st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sills surname appeared 6,761 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sills.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sills 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 Sills

The surname SILLS originated in England and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Old English word "sill," which referred to a threshold or the base of a window or door. The name likely evolved as a descriptive term for someone who lived near a prominent sill or threshold.

Records show the earliest known bearer of the name was Robert atte Sylle, mentioned in the Subsidy Rolls of Sussex in 1296. This early spelling variation highlights the name's connection to the word "sill." The name was also found in various forms, such as Sill, Sille, and Syll, in medieval documents from counties like Essex, Kent, and Surrey.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the SILLS spelling appears in the Lay Subsidy Rolls of Wiltshire from 1523, where a John Sills is mentioned. This suggests the more modern spelling had emerged by the 16th century.

The SILLS surname is also associated with several place names in England, such as Sillenden in Kent and Silsden in West Yorkshire. These locations may have influenced the development of the surname or been named after early bearers of the name.

Notable individuals with the SILLS surname include:

1. John Sills (c. 1610-1695), an English Puritan minister and author from Sussex.
2. John Sills (1782-1854), an English cricketer who played for Hampshire and Surrey in the early 19th century.
3. Beverley Sills (1929-2007), an American opera singer and general manager of the New York City Opera.
4. Thomas Sills (1914-1995), an American actor known for his roles in films like "The Killers" and "The Devil's Brigade."
5. Walter Sills (1858-1931), an English cricketer who played for Surrey and captained the team from 1893 to 1900.

The SILLS surname has a long and rich history in England, with its origins dating back to the 13th century and its connection to the Old English word "sill." While not as common as some other English surnames, it has been borne by notable figures across various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sills

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

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

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

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