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

Tilghman, 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 Tilghman surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Tilghman in America

Tilghman is the 11250th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Tilghman surname appeared 2,810 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Tilghman.

We can also compare 2010 data for Tilghman 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 Tilghman

The surname Tilghman is of English origin, derived from the place name Tileham, which was recorded as Tilgeham in the Domesday Book of 1086. The name is believed to have originated in the county of Norfolk, England, during the medieval period.

Tilgeham is thought to be derived from the Old English words "tigel" meaning tile and "ham" meaning homestead or village, likely referring to a settlement where tiles were produced or a place with tiled buildings. The spelling of the surname evolved over time, with variations such as Tilgham, Tilghman, and Tillghman appearing in historical records.

One of the earliest recorded examples of the surname Tilghman can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Norfolk from 1199, where a Richard de Tilgham is mentioned. Another early reference is from the Hundred Rolls of 1273, which lists a Walter de Tilgham as a landowner in Norfolk.

In the 14th century, a prominent figure named Richard Tilghman (c. 1305-1368) was appointed as the Lord Chancellor of England, serving under King Edward III. He was known for his legal expertise and played a significant role in the development of English law during his tenure.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, members of the Tilghman family were influential in the English county of Kent. Notable individuals include Richard Tilghman (1548-1623), a wealthy landowner and justice of the peace, and his son, also named Richard Tilghman (1582-1654), who served as a member of Parliament.

In the late 17th century, the Tilghman family established a presence in the American colonies. One of the earliest immigrants was Richard Tilghman (1672-1738), who settled in Maryland and became a prominent planter and politician. His descendants, including Matthew Tilghman (1718-1790) and William Tilghman (1756-1824), played important roles in the American Revolutionary War and the early years of the United States.

Another notable figure was Benjamin Chew Tilghman (1821-1901), a Union Army officer during the American Civil War. He rose to the rank of brigadier general and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery in the Battle of Malvern Hill in 1862.

The Tilghman surname has also been associated with several places in the United States, such as Tilghman Island in Maryland and the town of Tilghman, South Carolina, which were likely named after early settlers with this surname.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Tilghman

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

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

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

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