2000
#140,756
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Tilelli
A surname of Italian origin, possibly derived from a nickname for a person who worked with tiles.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 119 Americans carry the last name Tilelli. That puts it at #153,590 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,880,289 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Tilelli surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
119
1 in 2,880,289
Census rank
#153,590
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
104
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 104 bearers of the surname Tilelli in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 153590th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Tilelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Tilelli
The surname Tilelli has its origins in Italy, specifically in the region of Tuscany. It is believed to have emerged during the 12th century, derived from the Italian word "tilia," meaning linden tree. This suggests that the name may have been initially associated with individuals who lived near or worked with linden trees.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Tilelli can be found in the historic "Liber Censuum" (Book of Census) compiled in Florence in the late 13th century. This document contains a reference to a landowner named Guido Tilelli, indicating the name's presence in Tuscany during that period.
In the 14th century, the name Tilelli appeared in several municipal records from the city of Siena, suggesting that the family had established itself in that area. One notable figure from this era was Giovanni Tilelli, a respected merchant and banker who lived between 1325 and 1390.
During the Renaissance period, the Tilelli family gained prominence in the arts and literature. Lorenzo Tilelli (1460-1525) was a renowned sculptor and architect who contributed to the design of several churches and palaces in Florence. His brother, Antonio Tilelli (1465-1530), was a celebrated poet and playwright whose works were widely celebrated in literary circles.
As the Tilelli family spread throughout Italy, various spelling variations emerged, such as Tileli, Tileli, and Tilely. These variations can be found in historical documents from different regions, reflecting the influence of local dialects and linguistic variations.
In the 18th century, the Tilelli name gained recognition in the field of music. Giuseppe Tilelli (1720-1798) was a highly acclaimed composer and violinist who performed at the courts of several Italian nobles and princes.
Another notable figure was Elisabetta Tilelli (1805-1876), a pioneering educator and advocate for women's rights. She founded one of the first schools for girls in Rome and was instrumental in promoting educational opportunities for women in Italy.
It is worth mentioning that the Tilelli name has also been associated with several small towns and villages in Tuscany, such as Tilelli di Montalcino and Tilelli di Chianti, suggesting that the name may have originated from or been influenced by these locations.
Throughout its history, the surname Tilelli has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including artists, writers, musicians, educators, and entrepreneurs, reflecting the rich cultural heritage associated with this Italian surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Tilelli
Among Census respondents with the surname Tilelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Tilelli bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Tilelli surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.3% · 95
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- Two or more races3.8% · 4
- Black or African American1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Tilelli
Tilelli appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#151,532
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 108
-1 bearers (-0.9%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 10,776 places
2020
#153,590
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
-4 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 2,058 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #140,756 | 109 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #151,532 | 108 | 0.04 | -1 bearers (-0.9%) | Down 10,776 places |
| 2020 | #153,590 | 104 | 0.03 | -4 bearers (-3.7%) | Down 2,058 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Tilelli surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #151,532 | #153,590 | -1.4% |
| Count | 108 | 104 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -13.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Tilelli bearers went from 108 to 104 (-3.7% change). The surname moved down 2,058 positions in the national ranking, going from #151,532 to #153,590.
FAQ
Tilelli surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Tilelli?
Name Census estimates that about 119 living Americans carry the surname Tilelli. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,880,289 residents.
How common is Tilelli?
Tilelli ranks #153,590 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 104 people with the surname Tilelli. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (119), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Tilelli.
Has Tilelli become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Tilelli went from 108 recorded bearers to 104. That is a decrease of 4 (-3.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #151,532 to #153,590.
What does the Census say about the background of Tilelli?
Among Census respondents with the surname Tilelli, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.3%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.8%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Tilelli in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.3% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Tilelli appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.3%), Hispanic (3.8%), Two or More Races (3.8%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Tilelli (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Tilelli mean?
A surname of Italian origin, possibly derived from a nickname for a person who worked with tiles. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Tilelli (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people are called Tilelli?
You can see how many people have the last name Tilelli on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.