NameCensus.

UK surname

Bill

A surname derived from a medieval nickname for a cheerful or resolute person, from Middle English bile, meaning "resolve."

In the 1881 census there were 1,068 people recorded with the Bill surname, ranking it #3,700 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 1,473, ranked #4,181, down from #3,700 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Dudley and London parishes. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Dudley, Cannock Chase and Muirhouse and Knowetop.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Bill is 1,999 in 1891. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 37.9%.

1881 census count

1,068

Ranked #3,700

Modern count

1,473

2016, ranked #4,181

Peak year

1891

1,999 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Bill had 1,068 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,700 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 1,473 in 2016, ranked #4,181.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,999 in 1891.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Ageing Communities.

Bill surname distribution map

The map shows where the Bill surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Bill surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Bill over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 983 #2,839
1861 historical 1,960 #1,490
1881 historical 1,068 #3,700
1891 historical 1,999 #2,306
1901 historical 1,388 #3,621
1911 historical 1,614 #3,013
1997 modern 1,265 #4,504
1998 modern 1,279 #4,647
1999 modern 1,256 #4,738
2000 modern 1,235 #4,784
2001 modern 1,185 #4,856
2002 modern 1,226 #4,810
2003 modern 1,210 #4,773
2004 modern 1,219 #4,750
2005 modern 1,171 #4,859
2006 modern 1,167 #4,885
2007 modern 1,148 #4,991
2008 modern 1,169 #4,941
2009 modern 1,206 #4,923
2010 modern 1,261 #4,842
2011 modern 1,274 #4,734
2012 modern 1,316 #4,513
2013 modern 1,351 #4,495
2014 modern 1,410 #4,364
2015 modern 1,418 #4,315
2016 modern 1,473 #4,181

Geography

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Where Bills are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Dudley, London parishes, Birmingham Town: Birmingham and Birmingham Town: Aston. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Dudley, Cannock Chase, Muirhouse and Knowetop and Shropshire. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Dudley Staffordshire
3 London parishes London 2
4 Birmingham Town: Birmingham Warwickshire
5 Birmingham Town: Aston Warwickshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Dudley 035 Dudley
2 Cannock Chase 007 Cannock Chase
3 Muirhouse and Knowetop North Lanarkshire
4 Shropshire 035 Shropshire
5 Dudley 015 Dudley

Forenames

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First names often paired with Bill

These lists show first names that appear often with the Bill surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Bill

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Bill, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities

Group

Ageing Communities

Nationally, the Bill surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Ageing Communities, within Suburbanites and Peri-Urbanities. This does not mean every Bill household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many residents are of normal retirement age or above and live in communal establishments, and there are few dependent children. The dominant property type is a mix of retirement flats and detached houses. Those in work are likely to be employed in managerial and professional occupations, and many residents are educated to degree level. Levels of owner occupation are high, but the private rental sector is also present. Rural locations predominate.

Wider pattern

Pervasive throughout the UK, members of this Supergroup typically own (or are buying) their detached, semi-detached or terraced homes. They are also typically educated to A Level/Highers or degree level and work in skilled or professional occupations. Typically born in the UK, some families have children, although the median adult age is above 45 and some property has become under-occupied after children have left home. This Supergroup is pervasive not only in suburban locations, but also in neighbourhoods at or beyond the edge of cities that adjoin rural parts of the country.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Bill is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Bill is most concentrated in decile 6 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

6
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Bill falls in decile 8 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the less deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

8
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Bill is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Bill, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Bill

The surname Bill is an English occupational name that originated in the late 12th century. It derives from the Old English word "bil" or "billa" meaning a sword, staff, or pruning hook. This suggests that the original bearers of this name may have been soldiers, foresters, or gardeners.

One of the earliest known records of the surname Bill is found in the Pipe Rolls of Yorkshire in 1199, which mention a William Bil. The Hundredorum Rolls of 1273 also contain references to individuals with the Bill surname, such as Reginald Bill from Oxfordshire.

During the Middle Ages, the surname Bill was most prevalent in the counties of Yorkshire, Oxfordshire, and Lincolnshire. It is believed that the name may have originated in one of these regions, where the occupations associated with the name were common.

In the 14th century, the spelling of the surname varied, with forms like Bille, Bylle, and Byll appearing in historical records. This was a common occurrence during this period due to the lack of standardized spelling conventions.

One of the earliest notable individuals with the surname Bill was Sir John Bill, a member of the English Parliament who lived from around 1400 to 1470. He served as the Sheriff of Lincolnshire and represented the county in Parliament during the reigns of Henry V and Henry VI.

Another prominent figure was Thomas Bill, a 16th-century English composer and organist who lived from around 1490 to 1558. He served as the Master of the Choristers at the Chapel Royal and composed several sacred works that were performed during his lifetime.

In the 17th century, the surname Bill was found in the records of the English settler communities in North America. One notable individual was Philip Bill, who was born in England in 1635 and later settled in Massachusetts Bay Colony, where he became a prominent landowner and magistrate.

During the 18th century, the Bill surname was carried by individuals such as John Bill, a British naval officer who served in the Royal Navy from around 1730 to 1801. He participated in several notable battles during the American Revolutionary War and the French Revolutionary Wars.

In the 19th century, the Bill surname was associated with individuals like Ledyard Bill, an American lawyer and politician who lived from 1823 to 1897. He served as the Secretary of State for New York and was involved in various legal cases related to civil rights and equal protection under the law.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Bill families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Bill surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Staffordshire leads with 310 Bills recorded in 1881 and an index of 8.83x.

County Total Index
Staffordshire 310 8.83x
Warwickshire 110 4.19x
Worcestershire 98 7.22x
Middlesex 87 0.84x
Shropshire 83 9.24x
Lancashire 54 0.44x
Surrey 49 0.97x
Yorkshire 37 0.36x
Lanarkshire 31 0.92x
Kent 23 0.65x
Derbyshire 21 1.29x
Flintshire 19 6.80x
Durham 13 0.42x
Hampshire 12 0.56x
Nairnshire 12 37.81x
Northamptonshire 11 1.12x
Buckinghamshire 10 1.59x
Essex 10 0.49x
Herefordshire 9 2.11x
Northumberland 6 0.39x
Nottinghamshire 6 0.43x
Pembrokeshire 6 1.82x
Glamorgan 5 0.28x
Cheshire 4 0.17x
Cumberland 4 0.45x
Midlothian 4 0.29x
Ayrshire 3 0.39x
Denbighshire 3 0.76x
Aberdeenshire 2 0.21x
Bedfordshire 2 0.37x
Dorset 2 0.29x
Gloucestershire 2 0.10x
Hertfordshire 2 0.28x
Leicestershire 2 0.17x
Lincolnshire 2 0.12x
Monmouthshire 2 0.27x
Royal Navy 2 1.61x
Sussex 2 0.11x
Argyllshire 1 0.35x
Norfolk 1 0.06x
Renfrewshire 1 0.12x
Stirlingshire 1 0.26x
Suffolk 1 0.08x
Westmorland 1 0.44x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Dudley in Worcestershire leads with 60 Bills recorded in 1881 and an index of 36.34x.

Place Total Index
Dudley 60 36.34x
Birmingham 49 5.61x
Wolverhampton 37 13.71x
Lambeth 30 3.31x
Aston 28 3.88x
Handsworth 25 28.90x
Stoke Upon Trent 23 6.18x
Stafford St Mary 21 42.26x
Walsall Foreign 21 11.58x
Amblecote 20 199.80x
Sutton Coldfield 19 68.94x
Tipton 19 17.68x
Bridgnorth St Mary 18 205.48x
Trentham 18 60.30x
Islington London 16 1.59x
Broseley 13 81.45x
Govan 12 1.44x
Kensington London 12 2.08x
Nairn 12 62.31x
Cannock 11 17.96x
Cheslyn Hay 11 171.61x
Mold 11 43.39x
Shoreditch London 11 2.44x
Hackney London 10 1.72x
Sheffield 10 3.05x
Worfield 10 160.26x
Barony 9 1.06x
Kirkdale 9 4.34x
Leeds 9 1.55x
Penkridge 9 99.45x
Brewood 8 79.05x
Chorlton On Medlock 8 4.08x
Claines 8 21.47x
Flint 8 50.41x
Peterborough 8 11.30x
Richmond 8 11.27x
West Ham 8 1.77x
Wollaston 8 92.92x
Colwich 7 83.93x
Coventry Holy Trinity 7 8.94x
Dalziel 7 19.35x
Derby St Werburgh 7 7.45x
Ledbury 7 47.81x
Plumstead 7 5.92x
Whitchurch 7 40.16x
Ashborne 6 54.20x
Camberwell 6 0.90x
Droylsden 6 14.91x
Hetton Le Hole 6 15.31x
Highley 6 461.54x
Hurstbourne Tarrant 6 201.34x
Newborough 6 258.62x
Nottingham St Mary 6 1.66x
Sedgley 6 4.60x
Taplow 6 158.73x
Tenby St Mary In 6 35.67x
West Bromwich 6 2.99x
Bilston 5 7.35x
Hammersmith London 5 1.95x
Harborne 5 4.44x
Poplar London 5 2.55x
Rotherham 5 8.61x
Walsall Borough 5 18.35x
West Bromwich 5 236.97x
Bradwell 4 45.20x
Farnworth 4 5.41x
Gillingham 4 5.47x
Great Barr 4 99.50x
Greenwich 4 2.42x
Newington 4 1.04x
Norbury 4 281.69x
Ogley Hay 4 54.87x
Rocester 4 91.95x
Rowley Regis 4 4.09x
Rugby 4 11.27x
Shifnal 4 16.40x
Shrewsbury St Chad 4 12.69x
Stone 4 8.91x
Tettenhall 4 18.64x
Woolwich 4 3.05x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Bill surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Bill surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 66
William 38
George 35
Charles 31
Thomas 28
Alfred 25
James 21
Joseph 20
Edward 16
Henry 16
Arthur 10
Ernest 10
Robert 10
Samuel 10
Richard 9
Walter 8
Harry 7
Benjamin 5
Herbert 5
Albert 4
Daniel 4
Francis 4
Frank 4
Frederick 4
Philip 4
Wm. 4
Edwin 3
Fred 3
Harold 3
Percy 3
Thos. 3
Benj. 2
Bernard 2
Bradney 2
Henery 2
Isac 2
Percival 2
Reginald 2
Sidney 2
Stephen 2
Sydney 2
Watkin 2
Arnold 1
Benjn. 1
Benjn.T. 1
Ebenezer 1
Edgar 1
Emmanuel 1
Enoch 1
Erthna 1

FAQ

Bill surname: questions and answers

How common was the Bill surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,068 people were recorded with the Bill surname. That placed it at #3,700 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Bill surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 1,473 in 2016. That gives Bill a modern rank of #4,181.

What does the Bill surname mean?

A surname derived from a medieval nickname for a cheerful or resolute person, from Middle English bile, meaning "resolve."

What does the Bill map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Bill bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.