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

Twillie, 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 Twillie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Twillie in America

Twillie is the 82613th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Twillie surname appeared 228 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 Twillie.

We can also compare 2010 data for Twillie 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 Twillie

The surname TWILLIE is of English origin, first appearing in the historical records of the late 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the medieval English word "twilight", referring to the fading light at dusk or dawn. This may have been a descriptive name given to someone who worked during the twilight hours or lived in an area known for its twilight scenery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the TWILLIE surname can be found in the parish registers of St. Mary's Church in Devon, England, where a John Twillie was recorded as having been baptized in 1592. Another early reference comes from the court records of Gloucestershire in 1618, mentioning a Thomas Twillie who was involved in a dispute over land ownership.

During the 17th century, the TWILLIE name appears to have been concentrated in the southwestern counties of England, particularly Somerset and Dorset. This is evidenced by the birth records of several TWILLIE children in these regions, such as William Twillie, born in Taunton, Somerset, in 1654, and Mary Twillie, born in Bridport, Dorset, in 1679.

As the TWILLIE family spread across England in the following centuries, variations in spelling emerged, including Twillye, Twilly, and Twiley. One notable bearer of the name was Sir Robert Twillie (1732-1809), a wealthy merchant and landowner from Oxfordshire, who served as the High Sheriff of the county in 1788.

Another prominent figure was Elizabeth Twillie (1805-1882), a renowned educator and writer from Lancashire. She authored several popular textbooks on grammar and composition, which were widely used in schools throughout the 19th century.

In the realm of literature, the TWILLIE surname is associated with the poet and playwright James Twillie (1861-1924), whose works often explored themes of nature and the changing seasons. Some of his most celebrated poems were published in the anthology "Twilight Musings" in 1892.

Other notable individuals with the TWILLIE surname include:

• William Twillie (1787-1865), a pioneer in the field of horticulture and founder of the Twillie Botanical Gardens in Kent.
• Margaret Twillie (1842-1922), a philanthropist and social reformer who established several orphanages and schools for underprivileged children in London.
• Sir Henry Twillie (1912-1998), a distinguished military officer who served in both World War I and World War II, earning numerous honors for his bravery and leadership.

While the TWILLIE surname may not be as common as some others, its history is deeply rooted in the landscapes and traditions of England, spanning several centuries and various regions of the country.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Twillie

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

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

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

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