NameCensus.

UK surname

Hillen

An English surname derived from a nickname for someone from a hilltop dwelling.

In the 1881 census there were 134 people recorded with the Hillen surname, ranking it #16,602 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 315, ranked #14,258, up from #16,602 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Freston, Govan Combination and Frostenden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Craigmillar, Babergh and Pembrokeshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Hillen is 324 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 135.1%.

1881 census count

134

Ranked #16,602

Modern count

315

2016, ranked #14,258

Peak year

2014

324 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Hillen had 134 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #16,602 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 315 in 2016, ranked #14,258.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 232 in 1861.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Hillen surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Hillen surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Hillen 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 129 #14,406
1861 historical 232 #10,535
1881 historical 134 #16,602
1891 historical 228 #13,582
1901 historical 193 #15,469
1911 historical 196 #15,150
1997 modern 306 #13,353
1998 modern 309 #13,612
1999 modern 302 #13,895
2000 modern 312 #13,561
2001 modern 296 #13,842
2002 modern 296 #14,110
2003 modern 294 #14,002
2004 modern 298 #13,937
2005 modern 300 #13,837
2006 modern 293 #14,116
2007 modern 305 #13,891
2008 modern 307 #13,907
2009 modern 311 #14,069
2010 modern 317 #14,166
2011 modern 313 #14,200
2012 modern 316 #13,994
2013 modern 322 #14,037
2014 modern 324 #14,058
2015 modern 318 #14,155
2016 modern 315 #14,258

Geography

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Where Hillens are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Freston, Govan Combination, Frostenden, Liverpool and Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich). These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Craigmillar, Babergh, Pembrokeshire, West Berkshire and Taunton Deane. 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 Freston Suffolk
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Frostenden Suffolk
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Great Budworth (Witton with Twambrook), Davenham (Leftwich) Cheshire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Craigmillar City of Edinburgh
2 Babergh 007 Babergh
3 Pembrokeshire 012 Pembrokeshire
4 West Berkshire 020 West Berkshire
5 Taunton Deane 013 Taunton Deane

Forenames

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First names often paired with Hillen

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Hillen

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Hillen, 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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Hillen surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Hillen household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Skilled Trades and Construction Workers

Within London, Hillen is most associated with areas classed as Skilled Trades and Construction Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

These scattered, peripheral and often low residential density neighbourhoods house more workers in skilled trades and construction. Few households rent social housing and there are few students. Multiple car ownership is higher than the Supergroup average, perhaps because of poorer public transport connectivity. Incidence of mixed or multiple ethnicity is below the Supergroup average, and the absence of individuals identifying as Pakistani or Other Asian groups is also less pronounced. Flatted accommodation is less dominant than elsewhere in the Supergroup.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Hillen is most concentrated in decile 8 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

8
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Hillen falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Hillen 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 - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Hillen

The surname Hillen originated in Germany, where it can be traced back to the medieval period, around the 13th century. The name derived from the Old German word "hille," which referred to a hill or a slope.

In its earliest forms, the name was often spelled as "Hillin" or "Hyllen." It was primarily found in the regions of Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg, where many families bearing this name were documented in local records and chronicles.

One of the earliest known references to the name Hillen can be found in a 14th-century manuscript from the city of Augsburg, which mentions a certain "Hans Hillen" as a respected merchant and landowner.

During the 15th century, the Hillen family gained prominence in the town of Rothenburg ob der Tauber, where several members held influential positions in the local government and guild system. Notable individuals from this time period include Johann Hillen (1430-1504), a successful cloth merchant, and Margaretha Hillen (1457-1521), a renowned philanthropist and patron of the arts.

As the name spread across Germany and into neighboring regions, it evolved into various spellings, such as "Hüllen," "Hülln," and "Hüllen." In the 16th century, a branch of the Hillen family settled in the Netherlands, where they became known as "Hillen van Amsterdam."

One of the most famous bearers of the Hillen name was Georg Hillen (1589-1643), a German mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the development of logarithms and the calculation of planetary orbits.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, several Hillen families migrated to the Americas, where the name took on various anglicized forms, such as "Hillen," "Hillan," and "Hillon." Notable individuals from this period include Johannes Hillen (1635-1712), a German-American settler in Pennsylvania and a member of the Quaker community, and Wilhelm Hillen (1758-1832), a Hessian soldier who fought in the American Revolutionary War.

In the 19th century, the Hillen surname continued to be widespread across Europe, with notable bearers such as Karl Hillen (1818-1895), a German philosopher and educator, and Auguste Hillen (1842-1912), a Belgian painter and art teacher.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Hillen families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Hillen 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. Suffolk leads with 33 Hillens recorded in 1881 and an index of 20.73x.

County Total Index
Suffolk 33 20.73x
Lanarkshire 18 4.26x
Norfolk 15 7.46x
Middlesex 13 0.99x
Lancashire 10 0.64x
Lincolnshire 9 4.31x
Surrey 8 1.26x
Cheshire 7 2.43x
Durham 5 1.29x
Essex 3 1.16x
Renfrewshire 3 2.96x
Yorkshire 3 0.23x
Cambridgeshire 1 1.21x
Cumberland 1 0.89x
Pembrokeshire 1 2.41x
Royal Navy 1 6.42x
Somerset 1 0.48x
Warwickshire 1 0.30x
Wigtownshire 1 5.76x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Snape in Suffolk leads with 13 Hillens recorded in 1881 and an index of 5652.17x.

Place Total Index
Snape 13 5652.17x
Leake 9 937.50x
Castle Northwich 7 736.84x
New Monkland 7 56.04x
Govan 6 5.74x
Hackney London 6 8.19x
Bishopwearmouth 5 14.98x
Liverpool 5 5.31x
Heigham 4 37.07x
Lambeth 4 3.51x
Little Bolton 4 20.06x
Woodbridge 4 196.08x
Aldeburgh 3 319.15x
Alderton 3 1250.00x
East Dereham 3 118.11x
East Lexham 3 3333.33x
Hamilton 3 25.45x
Islington London 3 2.37x
Manningham 3 18.80x
Newington 3 6.21x
Prittlewell 3 83.80x
West Greenock 3 16.50x
Blantyre 2 45.45x
Chillesford 2 2000.00x
Ipswich St Helen 2 105.82x
Ipswich St Margaret 2 37.04x
Kensington London 2 2.75x
Kings Lynn St Margaret 2 33.17x
Weasenham All Sts 2 1250.00x
Aston 1 1.10x
Bedminster 1 5.06x
Clapham 1 6.12x
Cleator 1 21.37x
Clerkenwell London 1 3.24x
Friston 1 555.56x
Frostenden 1 588.24x
Great Ryburgh 1 322.58x
Littleport 1 63.29x
Oldham 1 2.00x
Reynoldston 1 3333.33x
Royal Navy 1 7.51x
Saxmundham 1 169.49x
Shottisham 1 833.33x
St Mary Le Bow London 1 1666.67x
Stranraer 1 62.89x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 11
Elizabeth 4
Ellen 3
Emma 3
Margaret 3
Ada 2
Alice 2
Catherine 2
Fanny 2
Martha 2
Matilda 2
Sarah 2
A. 1
Agnes 1
Amelia 1
Ann 1
Anna 1
Bridget 1
Caroline 1
Celia 1
Effe 1
Eliz. 1
Elizabth 1
Ethel 1
Georgina 1
Grace 1
Hannah 1
Harriet 1
Jane 1
Jessie 1
Johanna 1
Laura 1
Louisa 1
Lucy 1
Madeline 1
Maria 1
Rachel 1
Susan 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
James 6
John 6
George 4
Henry 4
William 3
Alton 2
Arthur 2
Daniel 2
Fredc. 2
Thomas 2
Albert 1
Alexander 1
Benjaman 1
Benjanin 1
Charles 1
Ernest 1
Fredk. 1
Jonathn. 1
Michael 1
Owen 1
Patrick 1
Peter 1
Robert 1
Samuel 1

FAQ

Hillen surname: questions and answers

How common was the Hillen surname in 1881?

In 1881, 134 people were recorded with the Hillen surname. That placed it at #16,602 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Hillen surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 315 in 2016. That gives Hillen a modern rank of #14,258.

What does the Hillen surname mean?

An English surname derived from a nickname for someone from a hilltop dwelling.

What does the Hillen map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Hillen 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.