UK surname
A surname of German origin referring to someone who made or played a musical instrument called a dill.
In the 1881 census there were 49 people recorded with the Diller surname, ranking it #26,735 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 26, ranked #36,254, down from #26,735 in 1881.
The strongest historical links point to St James Westminster, Edinburgh and St Marylebone. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include No data.
Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Diller is 104 in 1861. Compared with 1881, the name has fallen by 46.9%.
1881 census count
49
Ranked #26,735
Modern count
26
2016, ranked #36,254
Peak year
1861
104 bearers
Map years
1
1861 to 1861
Key insights
Map
Back to topThe map shows where the Diller surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.
Distribution map
Diller surname density by area, 1861 census.
Timeline
Back to topThe 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 | 27 | #28,467 |
| 1861 | historical | 104 | #20,477 |
| 1881 | historical | 49 | #26,735 |
| 1891 | historical | 42 | #31,018 |
| 1901 | historical | 55 | #28,064 |
| 1911 | historical | 20 | #31,288 |
| 1997 | modern | 22 | #35,584 |
| 1998 | modern | 18 | #36,135 |
| 1999 | modern | 20 | #35,923 |
| 2000 | modern | 19 | #36,007 |
| 2001 | modern | 18 | #35,961 |
| 2002 | modern | 20 | #35,894 |
| 2003 | modern | 21 | #35,825 |
| 2004 | modern | 21 | #35,969 |
| 2005 | modern | 24 | #35,827 |
| 2006 | modern | 25 | #35,903 |
| 2007 | modern | 28 | #35,801 |
| 2008 | modern | 27 | #35,956 |
| 2009 | modern | 25 | #36,191 |
| 2010 | modern | 24 | #36,341 |
| 2011 | modern | 25 | #36,252 |
| 2012 | modern | 28 | #36,048 |
| 2013 | modern | 27 | #36,150 |
| 2014 | modern | 28 | #36,107 |
| 2015 | modern | 28 | #36,106 |
| 2016 | modern | 26 | #36,254 |
Geography
Back to topHistorical parish links are strongest around St James Westminster, Edinburgh, St Marylebone, Lydd and St Mary Islington. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.
The modern local-area list points to No data. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.
| Rank | Parish | Area |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | St James Westminster | London (West Districts) |
| 2 | Edinburgh | Edinburgh |
| 3 | St Marylebone | London (North Districts) |
| 4 | Lydd | Kent |
| 5 | St Mary Islington | London (North Districts) |
| Rank | Area | District |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | No data | No data |
Forenames
Back to topThese lists show first names that appear often with the Diller surname in historical and recent records.
Recent female names
Recent male names
Modern profile
Back to topModern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Diller, 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
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Nationally, the Diller surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as No data, within No data. This does not mean every Diller household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.
London neighbourhood type
Supergroup
No data
Group
No data
Within London, Diller is most associated with areas classed as No data, part of No data. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.
Broadband speed
The modern neighbourhood pattern for Diller is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of No data.
Area snapshot
This describes the area pattern most associated with Diller, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.
Origin
Back to topThe surname Diller is of German origin, derived from the Middle High German word "tille" meaning "dill" or "fennel". It likely originated as an occupational name for a grower or seller of dill or fennel in the medieval period.
The name first appeared in records from the 13th century in the regions of Bavaria and Swabia in southern Germany. Early variations of the spelling included Diller, Dillher, and Dillner. The name was also found in some areas of Switzerland during this time.
One of the earliest recorded references to the name is in the town records of Nürnberg, Germany, which mention a Johann Diller in 1349. Another early record is from the town of Ulm in 1402, which lists a Hans Diller as a resident.
In the 16th century, the name spread to other parts of Germany, as well as to neighboring regions such as Austria and parts of Eastern Europe. A notable bearer of the name from this period was the German botanist Johann Jakob Dillenius (1687-1747), who made significant contributions to the study of mosses and ferns.
During the 17th and 18th centuries, the name became more widespread across Europe, with bearers found in countries like France, Switzerland, and Poland. One famous bearer from this time was the German composer Johann Friedrich Dillermann (1739-1809), who composed operas and other works.
In the 19th century, the name began to appear in North America, as German immigrants brought the name with them to the United States and Canada. One notable American bearer was the businessman and philanthropist Clarence Diller (1840-1901), who made his fortune in the lumber industry and founded Diller College in Pennsylvania.
Other notable bearers of the Diller surname throughout history include the German painter Hans Diller (1599-1647), the Swiss painter Johann Jakob Diller (1784-1862), and the Austrian philosopher and writer Theodor Diller (1877-1954).
Sourced from namecensus.com.
1881 census detail
Back to topThese tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Diller surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.
Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Middlesex leads with 37 Dillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 7.74x.
Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Clerkenwell London in Middlesex leads with 8 Dillers recorded in 1881 and an index of 70.92x.
| Place | Total | Index |
|---|---|---|
| Clerkenwell London | 8 | 70.92x |
| Islington London | 8 | 17.27x |
| St Giles In Fields London | 6 | 256.41x |
| Bethnal Green London | 3 | 14.45x |
| Shoreditch London | 3 | 14.48x |
| Stoke Newington London | 3 | 80.65x |
| Birkenhead | 2 | 23.78x |
| Lambeth | 2 | 4.80x |
| Westminster St James | 2 | 40.73x |
| Alton | 1 | 135.14x |
| Aston | 1 | 3.01x |
| Bridport | 1 | 153.85x |
| Coulsdon | 1 | 238.10x |
| Grays Thurrock | 1 | 113.64x |
| Hornsey | 1 | 16.56x |
| Kingston On Thames | 1 | 17.89x |
| Paignton | 1 | 131.58x |
| Sherborne | 1 | 108.70x |
| St George Hanover Square | 1 | 11.88x |
| St Marylebone London | 1 | 3.92x |
| St Paul Covent Garden | 1 | 208.33x |
These are the female first names most often recorded with the Diller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
These are the male first names most often recorded with the Diller surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.
Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Diller households.
| Occupation | Count |
|---|---|
| Scholar | 12 |
| Charwoman | 2 |
| Hostler | 2 |
| Tailor | 2 |
| Tailoress | 2 |
| Annuitant | 1 |
| Boot Maker (Retired) | 1 |
| Butcher | 1 |
| Domestic General Serv | 1 |
| Dressmaker | 1 |
| General Labr | 1 |
| Head Nurse | 1 |
| Journeyman Tailor | 1 |
| Labourer | 1 |
| Laundress Washer | 1 |
| Laundry Maid (Washing) | 1 |
| Needlewoman | 1 |
| Ostler (Inn Serv) | 1 |
| Pupil | 1 |
| Railway Porter | 1 |
| Salesman | 1 |
| Stableman (8) | 1 |
| Stone Dresser | 1 |
| Tailors Wife | 1 |
| Tile Cutter | 1 |
| Waiter | 1 |
FAQ
In 1881, 49 people were recorded with the Diller surname. That placed it at #26,735 in the surname rankings for that year.
The latest modern count shown here is 26 in 2016. That gives Diller a modern rank of #36,254.
A surname of German origin referring to someone who made or played a musical instrument called a dill.
The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Diller bearers relative to the surrounding population.
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.