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

Stillman, 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 Stillman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Stillman in America

Stillman is the 6307th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Stillman surname appeared 5,411 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 Stillman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Stillman 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 Stillman

The surname Stillman originated in England, deriving from the Old English words "stille" meaning calm or quiet, and "mann" meaning man. It was an occupational surname given to someone who worked as a distiller or brewer, a trade that required a steady hand and a calm demeanor.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086, where it appears as "Stilman" in Kent. Over time, various spellings emerged, such as Stilman, Stillman, and Stileman, reflecting regional dialects and the inconsistencies of medieval record-keeping.

In the 13th century, a Stillman family was recorded in the Hundred Rolls of Oxfordshire, indicating their presence in the area. The name also appeared in the Pipe Rolls of Gloucestershire in 1230, where a Roger Stillman was mentioned.

One notable bearer of the name was John Stillman (c.1360-1425), a prominent merchant and Member of Parliament for Maldon, Essex, in the early 15th century. He played a role in the wool trade and was influential in local affairs.

Another early recorded individual was William Stillman (c.1470-1535), a Catholic priest and theologian from Ipswich, Suffolk. He was known for his writings on religious matters during the English Reformation.

In the 17th century, Samuel Stillman (1737-1807) was a influential Baptist minister and educator in New England. He played a significant role in the establishment of religious freedom in the newly formed United States.

During the 19th century, John Deane Stillman (1819-1888) was a prominent American lawyer and politician from New York. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was involved in various legal and business ventures.

Another notable figure was Charles Stillman (1810-1875), an American businessman and inventor from Massachusetts. He patented several improvements to the telegraph and was involved in the early development of the industry.

These are just a few examples of individuals who have borne the surname Stillman throughout history, illustrating its English origins and the diverse paths taken by those who carried this name across various fields and professions.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Stillman

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

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

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

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